When Ruan Chen received Ye Huanhuan's call, she was chatting with Feng Zi.
The night was deep, and she sat lazily cross-legged on the bed, with a pile of snacks scattered on the quilt. She picked through them, mentally reenacting a Qing Dynasty drama.
I'll choose my favorite concubine tonight.
"R, you're finally online! I went to your school for an assessment these past few days and was planning to ask you out for dinner, but you just vanished like you disappeared. What were you up to?"
"I've been busy in June and haven't been online during this time."
Did you participate in the early admission assessment?
"Emmm...no."
Have you decided on your university application yet?
Ruan Chen had already made her decision.
After making a pinky promise with Fu Jianzhi.
"Hmm...it should be Beijing University of Technology, right?"
Lin Fengzi was a little disappointed, but she quickly cheered herself up within seconds.
"Jinghua University of Science and Technology is a good fit for you. You can try to get into the weapons research institute. The geniuses there are all very powerful. You'll be the one to take care of me, the little doctor."
"Hmm...I'll try my best. I need to take this call, we'll talk next time."
It's Ye Huanhuan.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
Ye Huanhuan's tone was unusually serious, "Ruan Chen, you... Ruan Zhengde asked you to come back. I'm going to pick up Yu'er and Luo'er from school now. You can come with me. I'll be there in five minutes."
"What happened, Mom?"
Ruan Chen quickly stuffed a long strip of sour candy into her mouth, got up to change her clothes, tied up her long hair with one hand, and put on her shoes.
“Nguyen Chin has been banned from entering the country for life, and his most favored successor is now useless. I think he should restart the process of selecting a successor for the Nguyen family.”
Ruan Chen raised an eyebrow. She had seen Ruan Qin perfectly fine that afternoon. How could there suddenly be such a huge surprise?
"Miss." Ruan Wenlou handed over a tablet, which displayed a video that had gone viral online.
Ruan Chen watched it at three times the speed.
My heart was completely unmoved.
Ruan Yunhan's performance surprised her. Her pacing and language were just right, and Ruan Qin was led by her throughout. It seemed that Ruan Yunhan did this not on a whim, but after a long period of planning.
When Ruan Qin could no longer be used by her, she chose a suitable opportunity and used his weakness, which only she and her brother knew, to destroy him.
"I'm leaving now, Grandpa Wenlou. Please leave the door open for me tonight. I'll come back to sleep."
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In the car, Ruan Yu'er, who hadn't seen Ruan Chen for a long time, kept excitedly moving closer to him.
Ruan Chen even brought her some snacks when she went out.
Ruan Yu'er is easy to coax.
Ruan Chen was slightly shocked by Ruan Luo's change.
Ruan Luo will be seventeen soon, and she has grown taller rapidly, almost 1.9 meters.
The childishness and willfulness of yesteryear have faded from his eyes and brows, leaving his features deep and sharp.
A face that's three parts coldness and seven parts aggression is sure to leave a lasting impression.
When he looked at Ruan Chen, he took the initiative to reach out and nod, his voice deep and magnetic after puberty, "Little sister."
This was the first time in almost a year that Ye Huanhuan hadn't allowed the Ye family's bodyguards to enter the hillside villa.
Ruan Yunhan's cheeks were red and swollen, her hair was disheveled, and there were several long bloodstains on her fair skin.
But there wasn't a single tear in her eyes. She sat calmly on the sofa, looking as if she had just returned from a victorious battle.
Yu Wanqing slumped to one side, her eyes filled with despair.
Ruan Chen walked around the broken glass, the television split in two, and the potted plants scattered on the ground, and sat down by the minibar, opening the refrigerator door with practiced ease.
With her clean, slender fingers, she unscrewed the orange juice, added ice, and sat alone on the side, seemingly indifferent, sipping her drink.
The cool air condensed into water droplets, sliding down my wrist to my elbow.
Her expression was cold.
"Sis, I want one too."
Ruan Chen bent down and took an empty glass from under the glass table, filled it up for her, and didn't add ice.
“You all probably know about Ruan Qin’s situation,” Ruan Zhengde said, his eyes sweeping over his four children, each with their own thoughts. “Then let’s do it the old Ruan family rule: the right to inherit the group will be a fair competition among the four of you.”
He tried to appear calm, but the crow's feet around his eyes betrayed his exhaustion and disappointment.
Ruan Chen simply found him pathetic and despicable.
In the blink of an eye, Yu Wanqing also came to a conclusion. Ruan Qin, who was originally a sure thing, was out of the question. The only card she could hold onto now was Ruan Yunhan.
As Ruan Zhengde spoke of fair competition, Yu Wanqing vehemently objected.
"Zhengde, those three children are all loyal to the Ye family. Do you trust them?"
Ruan Zhengde's tone was calm but undeniable: "Wanqing, these four children all have the blood of the Ruan family flowing in their veins."
"What about Ruan Chen?" Yu Wanqing pointed to Ruan Chen, who was sitting quietly at the bar. "She hates you, hates me, hates Yun Han. Did you bring her here to kill our whole family?"
Ruan Zhengde reached out and pressed down on her leg, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Too much intelligence leads to ruin; she won't live that long."
Yu Wanqing calmed down.
Ruan Yunhan gracefully picked up a napkin to wipe the blood from her mouth where she had just been hit. "Fair competition, I have no objection."
The other three remained silent.
All Ruan Chen wanted was destruction—to destroy everything that Ruan Zhengde cherished and loved.
She neither wanted nor cared to get anything from him.
Ruan Yu'er drew circles around the cup with her fingers, lost in thought.
Ruan Luo spoke in a low voice.
He looked in Ruan Yunhan's direction and said, "What qualifications does she have to participate in the Ruan family's competition? If you ask me, this ungrateful wretch who ruined half your life's work should be kicked out of the Ruan family as soon as possible."
Ruan Luo raised her chin and looked at Ruan Zhengde. She didn't call him "Dad" at all, but a sharp smile appeared on her lips. "Otherwise, the same trick she used on your eldest son today will be used on you sooner or later."
He was sitting on the sofa to Ruan Zhengde's right. Ruan Chen noticed that he subtly overshadowed Ruan Zhengde in both stature and presence.
“Luo’er, as long as you return to the family and accept your father’s arrangements, the Ruan family will definitely be handed over to you in the future,” Ruan Zhengde’s tone actually had a hint of appeasement, “You are my only son.”
Ruan Luo scoffed, "Only a dog would take your place."
Ruan Chen chuckled, not knowing how many people were insulted by that one sentence, the glass in her hand making a crisp sound as ice cubes collided.
"Ruan Chen, what do you think?"
All eyes were on her.
Ruan Chen simply lowered her head, her fingers gently caressing the moon-white pendant hanging on her chest, her fingertips tracing the blood-red skull emblem in the shadows.
The spotlights above the bar illuminated her features, making them appear both striking and aloof.
"Okay, fair competition. When are you planning to get involved in group affairs?"
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