Huo Jingnan wanted to say something, but Fan Yawen waved her hand and gave him a calm and composed smile.
Indeed, the people Mom brought from the Fan family were naturally exceptional. These brother and sister were young, but extremely agile and quick-witted. They had undergone rigorous training and were among the best of the best, making them Fan Yawen's right-hand men.
"What, what don't you trust about your mother?"
"Of course not, it's just..."
“I know,” Fan Ya-wen glanced at him, “but you want to see for yourself what really happened. I understand how you feel, but son, there are some things you need to calm down and think things through. Only by staying calm and collected can you find a solution and get to the heart of the matter!”
*
Pei Nian had already regained consciousness in the dark room.
The darkness took her a while to adjust to; her temples throbbed, and her mind went blank. She struggled to sit up and it took her a long time to remember what had happened to her.
The hospital, the corridor, that uncle...
She suddenly stood up!
However, her knee accidentally bumped into the cabinet next to her, making a loud noise in the dead of silence. Her heart skipped a beat, and then she heard the sound of a doorknob turning.
The footsteps were heavy, and the man's slightly hoarse voice that followed sounded even colder in the dim light.
"You're awake?"
Pei Nian was taken aback, "You are..."
A light shone in the dark room, and she could finally see the person in front of her clearly.
"Uncle?" she couldn't help but exclaim.
Ah Zhong stared at her solemnly for a while before squatting down in front of her. He was very agile, even more so than many young people. He was physically strong and nimble. The ups and downs of his life in the underworld had given him a calm and collected demeanor, as well as a ruthless and decisive nature.
"It's you...it really is you!" Pei Nian's voice trembled slightly. "How could you..."
“It’s me,” Ah Zhong said in a deep voice. “To be precise, you should call me Uncle Zhong.”
Pei Nian realized something was wrong, stared intently into his eyes, and asked, word by word, "Who exactly are you?"
Ah Zhong bluntly stated, "Pei Hong is my benefactor."
Pei Nian was even more shocked and could hardly speak.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment as the two looked at each other silently, and Pei Nian could hear her own heart pounding.
After a long while, Ah Zhong said, "Are you trying to ask me why I treated my benefactor's daughter this way?"
"you……"
Pei Nian did want to ask this question, but at the moment she was still in a state of confusion.
She didn't know why this man, who kept calling her mother his "benefactor," had brought her to this place. What was his purpose? Did he want to protect her, or did he want to harm her?
She instinctively touched the back pocket of her pants, only to find that her phone was gone.
She hadn't figured out the layout of the dark room, let alone what was happening outside. How was she supposed to escape?
How can we get in touch with Huo Jingnan?
Pei Nian took a deep breath.
That's what makes her special compared to other girls.
An ordinary girl in this situation would probably be terrified. Although she was also scared, she could quickly regain her composure from her chaotic thoughts.
A dark glint flashed in Ah Zhong's eyes. He paused for a moment, then took out a few photos and threw them in front of Pei Nian.
Pei Nian froze, staring at the face in the photo that looked exactly like hers. It was as if a thunderbolt had struck from the sky, shattering her chaotic thoughts and leaving her completely blank.
“Her name is Pei Shasha,” Ah Zhong said in a low voice. “She’s your twin sister.”
"Twins...?" Pei Nian couldn't believe her ears.
Ah Zhong glanced at her and chuckled softly, "Sister Hong has never mentioned this to you, has she?"
Pei Nian shook his head blankly.
She always thought she was alone in this world, and that with Pei Hong dead, she had no family left.
But she never expected that a sister who was related to her by blood and even looked exactly like her would appear in front of her in this way.
“Back then, Sister Hong gave birth to you two, but you were illegitimate children, without any status or identity,” Ah Zhong said softly. “At that time, she hadn’t made a name for herself, and her reputation wasn’t good. She was at risk of being arrested at any time, so she couldn’t take both of you with her… Therefore, she decided to decide your fate by flipping a coin.”
Pei Nian felt as if she were listening to someone else's story.
“Sasha stayed.” Ah Zhong looked at her. “But you, Niannian… you were the one who was sent away.”
Therefore, her name is Pei Nian, which means "to miss".
“Sister Hong entrusted you to Ding Daming to raise, and sends money to him on time every month. The reason she hid you in that small village is because it is almost isolated from the world and not easy to find. You also know what kind of business Sister Hong is in. If the police keep an eye on you, your life and Sasha's life will be ruined.”
Pei Nian paused, then suddenly chuckled softly. "Heh, do you really think that little mountain village is that great?"
Ah Zhong frowned. "Have you... had a bad year?"
Pei Nian's eyes were a little moist, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips.
"Sister Hong sent you most of the money!"
Yes, most of the money... and most of that money was squandered by that beast Ding Daming.
Ding Daming not only seized her money, but also tried to bully her.
She never had enough to eat or wear from childhood to adulthood. Her childhood was gray, like that gray mountain, where the gray fog on the top of the mountain never dissipated.
But she didn't want to tell Ah Zhong these things; she didn't want to reopen her wounds.
"So now... what are you going to do to me?" Pei Nian looked up at him. That cold and fearless gaze made Ah Zhong's heart tremble.
Ah Zhong suddenly couldn't bring himself to say, "I want you dead."
His fists clenched tightly, and Pei Hong's image, voice and smile, suddenly flashed before his eyes. He could almost hear Pei Hong's voice in his ears—"Ah Zhong, are you really going to harm my daughter? Are you really going to make them fight each other, unable to live together?"
Ah Zhong's knees buckled, and he staggered back a few steps, leaning against the wall and panting heavily.
“Uncle,” Pei Nian sneered, “are your legs really not good, or are you just putting on an act for me?”
"Just tell me what you want. But I need to know what your purpose is! Is it for my twin sister?"
The light in Ah Zhong's eyes dimmed. He didn't speak, but bit his lip and turned to leave.
Just as he turned around, he heard a noise behind him. He whirled around and saw Pei Nian lunging at him, but Pei Nian's target wasn't him, but the door…
Ah Zhong exclaimed in surprise and grabbed her arm tightly. The two began to wrestle, but in the dim light, Pei Nian was no match for him and was quickly pushed to the ground!
The sound of the door lock reached her ears again.
Pei Nian endured the pain in her knees and got up, trying her best to knock on the door that would never be opened for her.
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