However, Ye Chu didn't see any stylistic conflict in this script; in fact, it was impossible to tell that it was written by two different people. "Shadow" tells the story of two children in an orphanage, sisters Yuan Ke and Yuan Ai, who grew up together. Yuan Ke is cheerful and outgoing, a ray of sunshine. Yuan Ai is introverted, gentle, and has a low profile; compared to Yuan Ke, she is far less noticeable.

The two grew up together, with Yuan Ke always protecting her frail younger sister, Yuan Ai. But the instability of the orphanage was that one day, Yuan Ke was adopted by a couple... On the day she was taken away, Yuan Ke cried and begged to take Yuan Ai with her, but the couple only intended to adopt one child, and Yuan Ai ended up staying at the orphanage.

After losing Yuan Ke, Yuan Ai realized that she had no other friends in the orphanage besides Yuan Ke.

Because of Yuan Ke's departure, Yuan Ai became increasingly silent and withdrawn over time. Even when she reached school age, she was still unable to be adopted, which caused the headmaster a great headache.

Whether it was luck or misfortune, Yuan Ai finally found someone to adopt her, but it wasn't until she was taken home that she realized she had entered hell.

Yuan Ai was adopted by a man named Lu Qianli, who was disabled in both legs and had a hand ailment. He was once a renowned painter, specializing in landscapes, each of which sold for astronomical prices. Until an accident caused him to lose his ability to paint…

The other party put all the pressure on Yuan Ai. The first thing he said to Yuan Ai was, "I will make you the best painter."

From the very first time he met Yuan Ai, Lu Qianli was drawn to her dark and aloof aura and began to formulate a series of plans in his mind.

Lu Qianli began to relentlessly provoke Yuan Ai, using every chilling method imaginable. Under his constant coercion and provocation, Yuan Ai developed mental problems. However, at the same time, she also became a highly renowned painter. Her paintings gave people an almost insane and perverse feeling. With this repressive style of painting, she was praised by countless people in high society.

Lu Qianli was very satisfied with this. He believed that Yuan Ai, or rather Lu Ai, was the most successful work of his life.

He began taking Lu Ai to many high-society gatherings, showcasing her paintings, and telling everyone that this perfect work of art was created by him.

Yuan Ai and Yuan Ke met again at the Sheng family's 22nd birthday party. The Sheng family head had adopted Yuan Ke years ago because Madam Sheng was unable to have children. The lively and lovely Yuan Ke immediately won Madam Sheng's favor.

Sheng Ke looked at Lu Ai's face, which was very similar to her own, with surprise and delight. She took the initiative to approach Lu Ai, but found that Lu Ai showed great resistance to her approach...

“Love.” It was a cool male voice. Sheng Ke saw the man sitting in the wheelchair. She knew him: the head of the Lu family, a former genius painter, and now a business tycoon.

“Father.” Lu Ai’s voice was flat and calm, without a trace of emotion.

"Are you Yuan Ai's father?" Sheng Ke asked with some curiosity. Lu Qianli nodded slightly, looked at the face of this Miss Sheng, and gave her a smile that was hard to decipher.

But Sheng Ke didn't notice anything amiss with him, assuming it was just a polite greeting.

"So Yuan'ai was adopted by Mr. Lu. That's wonderful. I've been worried about her, but my mother and father won't let me go to the orphanage. I can only send some things over, and I don't even know if Yuan'ai received them."

Hearing her words, Lu Ai's right hand trembled slightly. Lu Qianli noticed it with keen sensitivity, but he didn't expose her. Instead, he smiled even more gently at Sheng Ke and said, "I think you two haven't seen each other for so long, so you must want to catch up?"

"Is that alright?" Sheng Ke was pleasantly surprised, not expecting the rumored Mr. Lu to be such a friendly person.

“Of course.” Lu Qianli nodded, then turned to look at Lu Ai, his dark eyes flashing, and said to Lu Ai, “Ai, go.”

Lu Ai's body trembled uncontrollably twice, but very slightly, and Sheng Ke did not notice. He simply took Lu Ai's hand happily and led her to the Sheng family's courtyard.

Some people at the banquet witnessed this scene and felt that the Sheng family was likely to join forces with the Lu family. Everyone's thoughts wandered and they began to make their own calculations.

"I never expected to see you here. I've missed you so much." Sheng Ke and Lu Ai sat down on a chair in the courtyard. Even after many years, her cheerful and enthusiastic personality remained unchanged.

Lu Ai did not reply. She lowered her head, closed her eyes, and tried to calm herself down.

"I..." She struggled to squeeze out a word, then suddenly stood up, wanting to go back to the banquet hall.

Sheng Ke quickly grabbed her hand: "What's wrong?" Only now did she realize something was amiss. Lu Ai seemed to have been very resistant to approaching her ever since they met, and she felt a pang of sadness: "Is it because I didn't go to see you? I'm sorry, I..."

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Ai had already broken free from her hand and ran desperately towards the banquet hall.

Just as she reached the banquet hall entrance, the doors opened, and Sheng Ke saw Mr. Lu walk out. The moment he stopped, Lu Ai threw herself into his arms, as if it had been planned...

Feeling something was amiss, Sheng Ke unconsciously slowed his pace and approached, hiding behind a tree to eavesdrop.

"What's wrong? Are you unhappy to see an old friend? Love." Lu Qianli placed his hand on the top of the other's head and gently stroked it.

Lu Ai gripped the other person's bespoke suit tightly, shaking her head desperately. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but could only utter "Ah... Ah..." sounds, repeatedly becoming mute, her body trembling incessantly.

"Ah—I know." Lu Qianli's chest trembled, and a pleasant smile appeared on his face: "You were scared by the people outside, weren't you? Those vulgar women must have scared my darling." As he spoke, he took Lu Ai's hand and rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand, looking as if he cherished it very much: "Ai, you should paint now, let's go back."

Watching the two figures leave, Sheng Ke, who had been hiding and eavesdropping, was filled with terror. Lu Qianli, who had just been so gentle and polite in front of her, was making such a comment about her behind her back, and the way he spoke and interacted with Yuan Ai was really strange.

Since meeting Yuan Ai at the banquet, Yuan Ke has never been able to see Yuan Ai again, but she has been secretly investigating this Mr. Lu.

"Ai." The studio door opened, and the butler pushed Lu Qianli to Lu Ai's side before leaving, leaving Lu Qianli behind to call out with a smile.

Snap.

Lu Ai dropped her paintbrush to the ground. She slowly stood up and stared down at the floor.

*Thud!* A thick stack of documents hit her and scattered on the ground. Lu Ai's eyes widened. One of the documents, which had just landed on her shoe, had a color photo on the front—Yuan Ke's face.