Chapter 47 The Tricks of a Double Champion: Faced with Absolute Talent...
Ye Yuying followed silently behind Cheng Mingdu, her steps still a little unsteady, but she no longer needed support.
Cheng Mingdu walked ahead, seemingly unable to say much due to the delicate situation at the moment. He simply helped her push through the crowd so that she could keep up smoothly.
When they reached the school gate, Cheng Mingdu's car was already parked on the side of the road. He opened the passenger door and gestured for Ye Yuying to get in.
The car drove smoothly away from the school, and the carriage was quiet for a moment.
Ye Yuying leaned back in her chair, watching the street scene rushing past the window. Although the pain in her abdomen had lessened, physical exhaustion and mental confusion still lingered around her.
Although Ji Zi had given her a sanitary napkin, she wasn't sure if she was using it correctly, and the feeling of bleeding made her uneasy.
She didn't know what effect the bleeding would have on her body, and what she feared even more was that she absolutely couldn't get Cheng Mingdu's car seat dirty.
Otherwise, she will face an awkward situation that she will never be able to handle in her lifetime.
Not long after, Cheng Mingdu pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned off the engine.
"Wait here for me," he said, then unbuckled his seatbelt, got out of the car, and walked straight into a pharmacy by the roadside.
Ye Yuying was somewhat confused and could only watch his figure disappear through the car window into the pharmacy. A few minutes later, Cheng Mingdu came out carrying a small bag of medicine and returned to the car.
He handed the medicine bag to Ye Yuying.
Ye Yuying took the package and saw several boxes of different brands of painkillers and a packet of brown sugar ginger tea powder. She paused for a moment, then looked up at Cheng Mingdu.
"It doesn't hurt much anymore," she whispered, her cheeks slightly flushed. She hadn't expected Cheng Mingdu to buy these things for her.
Cheng Mingdu restarted the car, looking ahead, his tone still calm: "Make sure you recognize these medications and remember the function of each one. Especially ibuprofen, which can relieve pain. Prepare some in advance so you can take it when your period is approaching or when you first start to feel unwell."
His words were simple and direct, offering no further comfort, yet they left Ye Yuying feeling somewhat choked up.
She recalled her mother, the one who didn't want her to appear before distinguished guests, the one who hated her father.
These are things that her mother should have taught her, but now they are being taught by Cheng Mingdu, who is not related to her at all.
It must be said that Jiang Xinxue chose a good marriage. The Cheng family are all highly educated. Their abundant material conditions and excellent economic foundation make them more shrewd and intelligent than ordinary people, and also... have the spare capacity to sympathize with the weak.
The Cheng family, father and son, are both good people.
Under this benevolent glow, she instead felt that she and Jiang Xinxue were the parasites of the Cheng family...
Ye Yuying lowered her head, suddenly gripped the medicine bag in her hand tightly, her thoughts completely blank, and whispered "hmm".
The car continued to drive smoothly.
As they neared home, Cheng Mingdu paused, seemingly considering his words, "From now on, take care of your health every month, don't catch a cold, and don't overwork yourself."
"...Thank you." It took her a long time to squeeze out those two words. She wanted to say something more powerful, but in the end, only those two words remained.
In the evening, someone gently knocked on her door. When she opened it, it was Aunt Zhang, who was in charge of tending the flowers and plants in the backyard, carrying some colorfully packaged items.
Seeing that she was a little flustered, Aunt Zhang gave her a gentle and kind smile, and spoke softly: "Xiao Ye, Mr. Cheng asked me to come and see you, and also... to tell you how to use these things. Is this your first time today?"
Ye Yuying paused for a moment, seemingly unaccustomed to the title "Mr." The Cheng family's children were all addressed as "Mr." after they reached adulthood, but to distinguish them from the head of the family, the word "Xiao" was added.
She savored the unfamiliar way of addressing Cheng Mingdu, forgetting her embarrassment, and quickly stepped aside to let Aunt Zhang in.
Aunt Zhang entered the room, placed the bag she was carrying on the bedside table, and then pulled Ye Yuying to sit down on the edge of the bed. Her palms were dry, rough from years of hard work, yet surprisingly warm, a touch unique to the hands of a kind elder.
"Don't be nervous or shy. This is something every girl goes through. It's a sign that your body is growing up." Aunt Zhang patted the back of her hand, her tone as if she were comforting a younger member of her family.
Ye Yuying was momentarily distracted, completely unexpected that Cheng Mingdu would be so meticulous, handling these matters with natural and timely reactions, and even managing these follow-up trivial matters perfectly, while also taking into account her awkwardness during puberty.
She recalled her embarrassment and tears in the bathroom, and her emotions were complicated at that moment.
Aunt Zhang taught her everything from taking painkillers to keeping warm during menstruation and how to use sanitary napkins of different sizes. She also went on and on about some precautions during menstruation, such as not eating raw, cold, or spicy foods, keeping warm, and drinking more brown sugar water.
After Aunt Zhang left, Ye Yuying looked at the sanitary products and medicines on the bedside table. For the first time, she felt less fear and more at ease about this unfamiliar physiological phenomenon.
This chaotic first period day didn't seem so bad thanks to these unexpected acts of kindness.
Little did she know that the first person in her life to teach her to recognize painkillers would haunt her memories every day she walked alone in the future, becoming a sweet yet desperate addiction to painkillers when she needed them in the future, causing her unbearable pain if she were to leave them.
*
Two more days passed in Ye Yuying's anxiety and Cheng Mingdu's silence. On Friday afternoon, the math teacher walked into the classroom with a batch of test papers, and the noise in the class instantly subsided.
"The results of Ye Yuying's independent test on Wednesday are out." The math teacher's voice rang clearly in everyone's ears.
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the class before finally settling on Ye Yuying, a hint of approval in his eyes: "Ye Yuying, 115 points, close to a perfect score (120). This result is enough to prove her true ability and completely clears her of any suspicion of 'cheating.' I hope that all of you will focus on your studies in the future and refrain from making any further unfounded speculations."
The classroom was silent for a few seconds, then a low murmur of suppressed discussion broke out.
Everyone knew Ge Jie disliked Ye Yuying, so they didn't dare to applaud openly. Ji Zi only dared to secretly write a note and slip it over: 【Fantastic! I knew you could do it!】
Ye Yuying felt the dark clouds in her heart instantly dissipate, and she felt much lighter. However, she wasn't really happy; she had lost a lot because of this farce...
After school, Ye Yuying went to the restroom. Just as she reached the door, she heard several girls inside, their voices deliberately lowered but tinged with schadenfreude. One of them was Ge Jie.
"Hmph, so what if she did well on the test this time? She has no idea what she has lost."
"Luckily, I happened to overhear Teacher Yang recommending her for the provincial team's selection training camp when I was delivering equipment to the sports department. By creating a little trouble for her, she'll have to spend half a month proving her innocence, thus missing the selection. Let's see how smug she'll be then!"
"If you miss this selection, you'll have to take a detour of 500 years to get into a sports school!"
Everyone discussed it animatedly, and some even offered suggestions hoping to gain credit and rewards.
Ge Jie remained silent, only giggling, her voice full of malice.
Ye Yuying stopped in her tracks, a surge of anger rising in her heart.
It turns out that Ge Jie and her friends not only targeted her academically, but they also noticed her athletic potential, which she herself hadn't taken seriously, and were happy to see her miss opportunities.
She was completely unaware of the so-called "provincial team selection" before, and later thought it was just fate playing tricks. Now, hearing it from other people, she felt that a group of junior high school students could be so ruthless as to ruin someone's future.
This time, she didn't rush out to argue with them, feeling she didn't want to alert them.
Some things are better left unsaid; saying them only sullies your own heart.
Those struggling in the sea of karma, countless demons and monsters want to drag you into the deepest hell. They are also in hell, but they don't want anyone to escape from hell.
She understood that in this vast sea of karma, the souls struggling within it are inherently suffering.
However, some are already bound by their own evil thoughts, trapped in an endless purgatory without realizing it. Not only can they not extricate themselves, but out of jealousy and fear, they turn into ghosts, always wanting to drag every figure who tries to climb upwards and hopes for the light on the other side back into that cold and desperate swamp, to sink together, as if only in this way can they alleviate their endless anxiety and punishment.
They are also prisoners of this hell, and unconscious guardians of this hell. What they fear most is that someone will escape, which will only highlight their own tragic doom.
*
As soon as her period ended, Ye Yuying plunged headfirst into training on the track and field, like an enraged little beast, with an almost self-destructive madness and ruthlessness.
Every drop of sweat was like a retaliation against those vicious words, and every breath was an expansion to the limit, as if tearing apart the shackles of humiliation and anger that had solidified in the heart.
The synthetic track was scorching hot under the afternoon sun, and the air was filled with the restless smell of dust and sweat. Ye Yuying's figure repeated lap after lap on the track, speed, endurance, explosive power... She pushed herself to the limit, letting the soreness of lactic acid build up erode her muscles, letting her lungs burn as if they were about to explode.
Even Teacher Yang comforted her, saying, "This is not an important competition. Besides, you haven't fully finished your recovery training and you're also on your period. It's normal that your ranking isn't ideal. The important thing is to relax, gain experience, and see what level the other schools' contestants are at."
"I understand, Teacher Yang," she replied listlessly, her voice hoarse from the strenuous exercise. She didn't explain why she was pushing herself so hard; she simply gritted her teeth and persevered when she felt powerless.
She suddenly remembered that everyone else was wearing spikes during training, so she asked, "Teacher, when can I wear spikes for a competition?"
Ms. Yang was using a stopwatch to record her previous score when she looked up. Behind her glasses, her gaze held a hint of scrutiny, but she wasn't surprised. She put down the stopwatch, walked over to her, and calmly asked:
"What's wrong? You think your shoes aren't fast enough for running anymore?"
Ye Yuying said in a low voice, "I've noticed that athletes from other schools wear spikes during competitions and intensive training sessions. Spikes can improve grip, which should...help with performance."
She didn't say directly that she wanted to wear it, but the meaning was clear. She craved any way to make herself stronger and faster.
Teacher Yang nodded, seemingly agreeing with the logic in her words, but did not immediately give in. After a moment of silence, she turned her gaze to the sun-baked track in the distance and slowly said, "Spiked shoes are indeed a powerful tool in competitions, allowing you to improve your performance by a fraction of a second, or even more. But they are also a double-edged sword."
She turned back to look at Ye Yuying, her eyes becoming deep: "Yuying, your talent is excellent, that's undeniable. But you haven't been in systematic training for very long, and there's still a lot of room for improvement in many fundamental things, such as your core strength, hip drive, and the combination of stride frequency and stride length."
"Spiked shoes can amplify your strengths, but they can also mask some minor flaws in your current technique. Focusing too early on the slight improvement that spiked shoes can bring might cause you to overlook these more fundamental aspects."
Ye Yuying listened quietly. She understood what the teacher meant, but the impatience in her heart and the silent desire to retaliate against Ge Jie and the others made her feel somewhat unwilling.
But right now she has no choice but to believe. Teacher Yang's training for her is special, probably because she is a newcomer to the school team and one of the few female players on the team.
She has already lost something, so she must seize every opportunity that comes her way.
The qualifying rounds of the city's middle school track and field league are her most important battleground right now. She reviewed the results of previous city-level competitions, understood the strength of her main competitors' schools, and even began to study more refined tactics and energy allocation under the guidance of Teacher Yang.
Cheng Mingdu remained the same silent figure, leaving early and returning late, so the two rarely met at home.
He never inquired about her training, nor did he show any unusual interest in her dedication to sports.
Ye Yuying had long been used to his non-existence; in her mind, she was the main force in the battle and the redemption.
The days passed by in such intense and fulfilling preparations, and the date of the qualifying rounds drew ever closer.
The air seemed thick with the tension of an impending storm. Ye Yuying's heart, like a taut bowstring, was filled with strength and a secret, stubborn longing for the impending battle to prove herself.
She knew that even if she lost, it wouldn't matter; she would have many more opportunities in her life, and her progress was considered rapid among the seeded players of her generation.
But what if she wins...? That would not only be a ticket to the city league, but also the only glimmer of hope she could grasp at this moment.
As the first rays of sunlight pierced the thin mist in the early morning, a barely perceptible hum seemed to be emitted.
Ye Yuying woke up earlier than usual, repeatedly checking her sports equipment and going over the tactical points that Teacher Yang had instructed her on over and over again in her mind.
She arrived at the city sports center early for registration. Just as she reached the stadium entrance, a girl she didn't recognize came running up to her, panting, and holding a piece of paper in her hand:
"You mean Ye Yuying? Teacher Yang wants you to go to the district sports school right away! She said there's a problem with the qualifying list and all participating athletes need to go there for an urgent check, otherwise it might affect their eligibility! This is the address Teacher Yang asked me to give you; please go there immediately!"
"What about the check-in?" Ye Yuying asked, somewhat bewildered, without giving it much thought.
The district sports school is in the opposite direction from the city sports center, and at this time, Teacher Yang should have already gone to the competition venue.
The unfamiliar girl immediately waved her hand anxiously and said, "Teacher Yang said he would try to coordinate the check-in process, and told you not to worry about it for now! Checking the list is the most important thing. If you can't get on the field because of this, all your previous preparations will be in vain!"
Ye Yuying's heart sank. The district sports school was more than half an hour's drive from the city sports center, and going there and back would inevitably cause her to miss the check-in time.
A sliver of doubt flickered through her mind, but she lacked experience and was unaware of the many intricacies involved in the competition.
She tried calling Ms. Yang to confirm, but found that no one answered the phone.
"...I understand." Ye Yuying ultimately chose to believe, or rather, she dared not disbelieve. She took a deep breath, suppressing her unease and confusion, thanked the girl, and immediately turned around, heading in the exact opposite direction from the sports center, and hailed a taxi as quickly as possible.
Halfway there, Ms. Yang called, urging her to hurry up and check in.
Only then did Ye Yuying realize that she had fallen into a trap, and she quickly told her master to return the way they came.
Time was running out. The morning sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting dappled shadows on her face. The light was warm, but she felt a chill run through her body.
She didn't have time to be angry or investigate the truth. This delay almost caused her to miss the check-in time. She entered the venue almost at the last minute, while the other contestants had already finished their warm-up and were waiting leisurely for the competition to begin. She arrived late.
His forehead was soaked with sweat, his chest heaved violently, and his cheeks were flushed with an unnatural redness from running and anxiety.
She experienced immense tension and physical exhaustion before the competition, which is a major mistake.
Her legs were aching slightly from the pointless exertion, and her breathing was more erratic than usual. She knew her condition had been affected.
Ye Yuying squeezed her eyes shut, trying to suppress her chaotic emotions and physical exhaustion.
In her recent appearances, she was often scrutinized by other competitors with an "unprofessional" look because she didn't wear spikes. She always thought that spikes would be a great help to her, even though she had never worn them.
In the corner, Ye Yuying haphazardly did a few high knees and shoulder presses, trying to wake up her muscles, which were stiff and sore from the previous exertion. She could clearly feel the huge contrast between herself and her professional opponents.
Not far away, Ge Jie and her companions gathered together, their eyes occasionally drifting towards her, a knowing smile playing on their lips.
Ye Yuying took a deep breath. The air was filled with the distinctive smell of the synthetic track and a faint odor of sweat, all reminding her that the battle was about to begin. She walked to her lane, crouched down, and tried out her starting position. The heaviness in her legs was still vivid, as if they were filled with lead.
"On your marks—get set—"
The starting gun fires!
Ye Yuying rushed out almost entirely on her muscle's instinctive reflexes.
Without the grip of spikes, she doesn't have an advantage at the start, so she has to use more physical strength to compensate for her disadvantages at the start and on the curves, requiring more effort to maintain her balance and forward momentum.
The signs of fatigue from the previous exertion in the body were now amplified.
She began frantically swinging her arms, forcing herself to increase her stride frequency. Every cell in her body screamed for exhaustion, but her will was like a steel cable stretched to its limit, taut and refusing to break. After the first bend, she began to gradually catch up. One hundred meters, two hundred meters… She could hear her own heavy breathing and the thunderous pounding of her heart. Her lungs burned, as if they were about to explode.
But she didn't give up. She relentlessly chased after the leading runner, and on the last straight, she had the urge to sprint. With a fierce determination, she almost kept pace with the front runner!
She didn't even have time to pay attention to her opponents' progress; she was focused solely on the finish line.
Crossing the finish line!
The referee's raised hand gesture and the frozen numbers on the finish line timer announced the result. Ye Yuying staggered to a stop, her hands on her knees, breathing heavily, sweat blurring her vision. She wasn't even sure if she had won.
It wasn't until Coach Yang rushed over from the coaching bench to support her that she learned that she had won first place in her 400-meter preliminary heat by an extremely narrow margin!
After a short rest, the 200-meter preliminary rounds followed. This undoubtedly added insult to injury for her already exhausted stamina. The 200-meter race requires explosive power and cornering technique, and the disadvantage of not having spikes would be even more obvious.
Ye Yuying stood on the starting line almost entirely with a numb willpower. The gun fired, she started, accelerated, turned, sprinted... the whole process was somewhat blurry in her mind, leaving only the most primal running instinct of her body.
When she crossed the finish line in first place in her group again, another miracle was born!
The final was in the afternoon. Ye Yuying used her lunch break to desperately replenish her fluids and energy, trying her best to regain some strength.
In the afternoon finals, she was still the only "oddball" wearing ordinary training running shoes. But at this moment, no one looked down on her anymore. Compared to the other seeded players, she was just a newcomer with no name on this field.
However, in the two preliminary rounds that morning, she had already proven with her strength that she is a dark horse not to be underestimated.
Teacher Yang meant that she had already done a great job by reaching this stage, and there was no need for her to push herself too hard in the final to avoid leaving any irreparable injuries. Her achievements were already enough to attract the attention of certain sports authorities, and the shoe store could just do its best.
The atmosphere at the afternoon finals was even more intense than in the morning.
The sunlight was no longer so harsh, shining obliquely on the red plastic track, coating everything with a golden halo.
The number of spectators in the stands also increased, with many people rushing over after hearing the news, discussing the "dark horse" athlete who had won first place in the preliminary rounds of two events that morning while wearing ordinary running shoes.
Ye Yuying stood on the starting line of the 400-meter final. She closed her eyes, blocked out all the sounds from the outside world, and tried her best to adjust herself to the best competitive state.
Physical fatigue washed over her in waves, but her spirit remained exceptionally high, like a burning flame.
The familiar gunshots rang out again.
This time, Ye Yuying did not fall behind at the start like she did in the morning.
Logically, her opponents should have been much stronger, but she surprisingly handled them with ease.
Perhaps her victory in the preliminary round gave her confidence, or perhaps her body, under extreme conditions, unleashed even deeper potential; her start was exceptionally smooth.
Bends and straightaways. She could feel the muscles in her legs screaming, and her lungs felt like they were being torn apart. But she ignored it all, frantically swinging her arms and taking each step with all her might.
In the last 100 meters, Ye Yuying felt that she was running almost entirely on instinct and willpower.
She had only one opponent left in front of her, and at the finish line, the same thrilling last-minute kill that she had witnessed that morning was repeated!
400m final, champion!
The entire audience erupted in thunderous applause.
Ye Yuying didn't even have time to savor the joy before immediately throwing herself into preparing for the 200-meter final.
Her physical abilities are theoretically nearing their limit, especially considering her lack of training experience.
She already has a championship in hand, and she knows that her chances of winning the 200-meter race are slim. She'll just try to get a decent ranking.
On the 200-meter track, she once again created a miracle, crossing the finish line first by a narrow margin!
Two hundred meters and four hundred meters, double champion!
When she finally finished all the competitions and was helped to the rest area by the staff, she barely had the strength to stand up.
Sweat soaked her hair and clothes completely, making her look like she had just been pulled out of the water. Her cheeks were flushed red from the intense exercise and lack of oxygen, like ripe fruit.
Ye Yuying was panting heavily, her vision was a little blurry, but in the gaps when the crowd dispersed, she clearly caught sight of Ge Jie not far away.
Ge Jie stood there, her face, which always exuded sophistication and calculation, now drained of all color, leaving only a pale, paper-like white.
She stared blankly at Ye Yuying, realizing for the first time that this usually ordinary underachiever actually possessed a kind of wildly growing talent. Compared to such talent, Ye Yuying's performance was like a clown's trick.
Ye Yuying slowly, very slowly, tugged at the corners of her mouth, revealing a very faint, yet extremely joyful smile.
She grasped that ray of light. It was more difficult than she had imagined, but also more dazzling than she had ever imagined.
After receiving the award, Ye Yuying was rushed to the infirmary for a check-up. Teacher Yang was even more worried about her health than she was.
The doctor examined her and found that apart from overwork and a minor muscle strain, there was nothing seriously wrong, but he ordered her to rest.
Ji Zi followed the line to the infirmary to find her, where she was given warm water and carefully fed to her. Her eyes were red and she was so excited that she could hardly speak coherently: "Yu Ying... you... you're amazing! Really amazing! A double champion! Do you know how many people were amazed by you!"
Standing to the side, Ms. Yang was filled with mixed emotions. Her original worries vanished. She did not praise her achievements, but instead kept her admiration and deeper expectations in her heart.
Back at the empty Cheng family home, the first thing Ye Yuying wanted to do was to tell Cheng Mingdu the good news of the day and her double success in marriage.
She imagined that when he heard this, he would show a hint of surprise, just like Teacher Yang, and then... perhaps he would say something light but sincere like, "Well done."
She walked up to the second floor with a joyful and eager-to-share feeling, but stopped in her tracks at Cheng Mingdu's door.
His door was ajar, and the faint rustling of clothes could be heard from inside. Ye Yuying hesitated for a moment, then gently knocked on the door.
"Come in." Cheng Mingdu's voice remained as cold and calm as ever.
Ye Yuying pushed open the door and saw Cheng Mingdu standing in front of the dressing mirror, adjusting his tie. He was wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit, and his white shirt was impeccably ironed. He looked more mature and upright than usual, but also... more aloof.
"Are you... going out?" Ye Yuying subconsciously pulled back the joy that was almost overflowing from her mouth and the certificate of honor she had hidden in her sports bag.
Cheng Mingdu glanced at her in the mirror and gave a faint "hmm," saying, "I have a social engagement arranged by my family, and I can't refuse."
Seeing that he was about to leave, Ye Yuying's eagerness to share diminished by half, but she still mustered her courage and tried to make her voice sound more relaxed: "Um... I have something good to tell you today. I'll tell you when you get back?"
Cheng Mingdu fastened his tie, picked up his suit jacket from the sofa, and put it on with fluid and elegant movements.
He walked to the door, then glanced at Ye Yuying again, his eyes still warm with concern: "Okay, I know. Get some rest."
Ye Yuying stood there, the light joy that had risen in her heart because of victory now deflated slowly and silently, like a punctured balloon.
She silently returned to her room, took the two championship trophies out of her bag, and placed them on her desk. Under the lamplight, the gold-embossed names reflected a cold luster, but could not illuminate her somewhat gloomy mood.
With this inexplicable sense of loss, Ye Yuying fell into a deep sleep. The next day was the weekend, and she woke up late, her fatigue not yet completely gone. As she went downstairs, she heard Aunt Zhang and another maid, Li Sao, whispering in the kitchen.
"...Sir came home very late last night. I heard that the old master and madam were very satisfied this time..."
"That's right. I heard from driver Lao Liu that the banquet last night was specially arranged for Mr. Cheng. The other party is the daughter of the Ling family, about the same age, a perfect match. I heard she's also very beautiful and is studying in Singapore..."
"Mr. Cheng is still in school, why are you making arrangements so early?"
"It's almost certain. These kinds of marriages between aristocratic families are arranged from the moment they're born. This kind of class-based marriage is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people like us..."
Those intermittent, deliberately hushed whispers, like needles chilled to the bone, pierced Ye Yuying's ears without warning.
Ye Yuying froze at the top of the stairs, her blood seemingly freezing in that instant. Just yesterday, she was still basking in the joy of winning the double championship, thinking about how to share this glory with Cheng Mingdu, and even hoping for a single, insignificant word of affirmation from him.
But in the blink of an eye, she heard the news that he was about to get married.
That vague and distant figure she carefully hid in her heart, one she dared not even touch easily, had, in fact, been meticulously planned for his life trajectory and matched with the most suitable partner by his family in a world she could not see.
But on that future stage, no matter how many honors and laurels she wins, she will never be able to take the stage.
The faint, unintentional warmth of concern in his eyes was perhaps just the most ordinary, polite care a superior would show to a young girl living under his roof.
A huge, indescribable feeling of bitterness and helplessness swept over her, her vision blurred, and the cold touch of the stair railing was the only reality she could perceive at that moment.
She could no longer hear any sound from the kitchen. Step by step, she mechanically moved back to her room, each step feeling like stepping on sharp shards of glass, the pain spreading from the soles of her feet to the tip of her heart.
Back in her room, she locked the door, leaned against the cold door panel, and slowly slid down, eventually collapsing helplessly onto the carpet.
She didn't know where this overwhelming sadness came from; she only felt a chill run through her body, a chill that seemed to seep into her bones, making her instinctively hug her arms tightly.
There felt like a void in my heart, perhaps because someone was trying to take Cheng Mingdu away from me.
Indeed, he was upright and brilliant, and it was already a great stroke of luck that he became my stepbrother by chance.
Reason told her that she had never wanted to possess him exclusively, not even as his sister.
-----------------------
Author's Note: 50 red envelopes
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