Volume One, Chapter 18: The Original Self—Kill Them All!

The Next Day
On the Rooftop

Xie Wan’ning still wore a white dress, as pure and faint as the first snow of winter. Standing there so quietly, it seemed as if the entire world had fallen silent.

Her gaze lowered slightly, surveying everything in the courtyard below.

The vast yard was adorned with roses of every hue. Though it was the bleak season of autumn, it felt as if one were immersed in a spring breeze where flowers competed in bloom—so beautiful, so radiant.

Servants bustled back and forth, busy yet orderly. Not a single detail was overlooked, as they strove to decorate every corner of the banquet venue with exquisite perfection.

Outside the archway trimmed with roses, Lu’s parents greeted guests with smiling faces.

Yet as the time of the banquet approached, no guest appeared at the gate.

The couple exchanged a glance, each seeing the same worry reflected in the other’s eyes.

Lu Boshang raised his hand and checked his watch. The minute hand was already pointing to 11; it was five minutes before ten o’clock.

From afar, not even a shadow of a single car could be seen. Meng Jingxian couldn’t help but grow anxious.

She said, “You have led the Chamber of Commerce for many years, pouring your heart and soul into it. I don’t know how many benefits you secured for them, how much money you made. Back then, they all rushed to cling to the Lu family, but now they avoid us like venomous snakes. They’re all just greedy opportunists!”

Lu Boshang’s gaze was steadfast. “Don’t worry, they’ll come back.”

At that moment, a dark, glowing Rolls-Royce appeared at the bend halfway up the mountain.

Meng Jingxian squinted, uncertain. “Is that car my eldest brother’s?”

Just then, Uncle Fu came running in from the gate and said to the two, “Master, Madam, the Meng family has arrived.”

“Let’s go greet them,” Lu Boshang said, turning to his wife.

“I’m not going,” Meng Jingxian turned away sulkily. “I thought he had no heart. A Yan was ill for three years, and they barely came to visit. Now that I’m sick, no one’s come to see me either. Does he even care about me, his sister?”

As she spoke, the people in the car had already gotten out and were approaching.

From a distance, Meng Shiyi waved and called out, “Auntie!”

Meng Jingxian looked up and saw Meng Shiyi in a pale pink fishtail gown, smiling and waving at her.

Looking at the child’s face, Meng Jingxian couldn’t help but soften.

Meng Shiyi had been a premature baby and was always frail and sickly. When she was little, Meng Jingxian had breastfed her, so she was like half a daughter to her, very dear.

“Shiyi, Auntie hasn’t seen you for such a long time. I’ve missed you so much.”

Meng Jingxian stepped forward, naturally took Meng Shiyi’s arm, and pulled her close to examine her carefully, unable to suppress her praise. “Two years apart, and you’ve grown even more beautiful.”

Meng Shiyi nestled by Meng Jingxian’s side, her lips sweet as honey as she playfully replied, “Not true, Auntie, you’re the most beautiful. You haven’t changed over all these years—you’re still the most beautiful woman in South City.”

Then, unable to hold back her excitement and anticipation, her eyes sparkling, she said, “By the way, Auntie, I heard Cousin has woken up—is that true?”

“Yes.” Meng Jingxian nodded gently, her eyes and brows full of joy. “It’s true.”

“That’s wonderful!”

Meng Shiyi was genuinely glad.

“Good child, go inside and play with Xinxin for a while. She’s alone in the makeup room and bored.” With that, Meng Jingxian called over a maid. “Come, take Shiyi to Xinxin.”

“All right, Auntie, I’m going to find Cousin now.”

After speaking, Meng Shiyi followed the maid away.

“Brother Boshang, Jingxian, is it true that A Yan has woken up?”

Meng family’s eldest brother, Meng Yuanzhou, hurried over, his expression full of urgency and excitement that he could barely contain.

“What about Shiyao?” Meng Jingxian ignored the Meng couple and glanced behind them. “Today’s his cousin’s twentieth birthday. Isn’t that brat coming?”

The Meng couple, ignored, froze for a moment, knowing Meng Jingxian was sulking at them.

Xia Mian stepped forward and took Jingxian’s hand. “That kid said he’s preparing a mysterious gift and will come later. Jingxian, I haven’t seen you for some time. Why do you look so haggard?”

Xia Mian’s eyes were filled with worry as she looked at Meng Jingxian.

“Oh,” Jingxian lightly withdrew her hand, her tone tinged with irony, “I just came back from the gates of hell. How could I not look haggard?”

“What happened?” Meng Yuanzhou’s heart tightened at her words. He stepped forward instinctively, his gaze full of concern. “What do you mean by coming back from the gates of hell? Jingxian, what’s wrong with you?”

“Not dead!”

Meng Jingxian looked at her eldest brother with reddened eyes. “You haven’t cared about me once in these two years.”

“Jingxian...” Lu Boshang reached out to gently pull his wife, signaling her not to be angry. “Over all these years, our eldest brother has helped the Lu family a lot, both openly and behind the scenes.”

As they spoke, out of the corner of their eyes, they saw a long procession of cars winding up toward the villa.

Leading the caravan was a dark, gleaming Maybach, like a noble dragon’s head guiding the entire fleet forward, exuding an imposing presence.

“They’re here.” Lu Boshang’s eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing in them.

At the same time, Xie Wan’ning stood hidden in the shadows on the rooftop, her eyes sharp as a torch, carefully observing every movement below.

From afar, she glimpsed three people walking slowly, surrounded by a crowd.

Those three were none other than the eldest young master of the Pei family, Pei Jin’an, followed closely on his left by the second young master Pei Jin’xian and the Pei family’s eldest daughter, Pei Jinyu.

Surrounded and admired like the stars around the moon, they looked like noble princes and princesses, wearing arrogant, imperious smiles, clearly enjoying the feeling of being fawned over in someone else’s territory.

Behind them came the Xie family members.

It turned out they were now dependent on the Pei family.

From the memories of her original self, Xie Wan’ning knew Lin Wanyin had always dreamed of marrying Pei Jin’an, the Pei family’s eldest young master.

Soon, through the crowd, Xie Wan’ning’s eyes caught sight of Lin Wanyin in a snowy-colored gown, her gaze fixed on Pei Jin’an’s back, unwilling to look away even for a moment.

Behind Lin Wanyin followed Fu Lingzhou.

Good, everyone was here.

Her gaze lingered for a moment on Lin Wanyin’s neck before withdrawing. Her fingertips twirled absentmindedly, only to suddenly realize that her hand was empty.

Now, she still wasn’t used to not having the vermilion pen in her hand.

“She’s here.”

Xie Wan’ning spoke slowly to the soul in the air.

“How shall I take my revenge?”

The soul fluttered excitedly, as if it couldn’t wait.

“I will send you into the jade pendant around Lin Wanyin’s neck. That way, the underworld messengers won’t be able to find you. When the time is right, you can take revenge for your grievances and express your resentments.”

“All right.”

In the sunlight, the lone soul gradually radiated an evil light.

All the past abuses at the hands of the Xie family flooded her mind.

Kill them all. Kill them!

She wanted everyone in the Xie family to go to hell with her!

Ha ha ha ha!

Suddenly, Xie Wan’ning warned, “Don’t get too excited. If you make too much noise and attract the underworld messengers who lock you away, I’ll be powerless to help.”

The original self’s smile vanished instantly. “...”

The next moment, she roared furiously as if she could burst through the sky, “You said I could take revenge, that I could express my grievances! You tricked me!”

Xie Wan’ning: “I also said, when the time is right.”

Original self: “...”

At that moment, Xie Wan’ning’s ears twitched; footsteps approached.

She turned and saw a man in a neatly tailored black suit striding over.

He wore a delicate pair of gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, adding an elegant touch to his sharply defined features.

Wan’ning’s eyes narrowed slightly, and her mind involuntarily recalled that rainy night—Lu Yanci, clad in a perfectly tailored suit, his gaze beneath the golden glasses deep and penetrating, as if he could see through one’s heart.

This guy, with glasses on, really looked like a cunning, refined scoundrel.

“Most people have arrived. Have you noticed anyone unusual?”

Lu Yanci stood beside Xie Wan’ning, his gaze sweeping over the banquet hall bustling with guests.

“Not yet.” Xie Wan’ning also focused intently, missing no detail below.

Lu Yanci’s eyes darkened as he spoke slowly, “Pay special attention to those interacting with the Pei family.”

“Wait.”

Wan’ning’s gaze suddenly tightened, as if she had caught sight of an unusual shadow.