Chapter 1: 99337

The shoot lasted until past four in the morning. After wrapping up, Qi Huaiyu transferred 500 yuan to her assistant, Xiao Fei, telling her to buy everyone some late-night snacks. She then hailed a taxi and headed straight for her apartment.

She'd been running on insufficient sleep for days, and now she felt completely groggy. Knowing her physical state was poor, she didn't want to lose her composure in front of her staff.

Her rented apartment was in the New City District, not far from the set. After getting out of the taxi, Qi Huaiyu felt the world spinning. The summer sun rose swiftly, and elderly people with early rising habits were already out for their morning strolls. She crouched down for a moment, waiting until her vision cleared before slowly walking home.

Back at her apartment, she didn't even have time to remove her makeup. She collapsed onto the sofa, intending to rest for a bit, but ended up falling asleep right there. Time became a blur. In her daze, she felt something cool and soft brushing against her face. She jolted awake, eyes snapping open, and instinctively swung her right hand forward—

A gentle hand encircled her wrist, deflecting her clumsy strike. The soft palm held a faint warmth.

Qi Huaiyu saw her sister's helpless expression. Yuan Xi's long black hair was neatly tied back, her features delicate and her skin luminous and fair. Through the years, Yuan Xi had always looked so neat and proper.

Why did Yuan Xi have to come at this moment? Qi Huaiyu thought, lying on the sofa with her hair disheveled, still wearing her makeup, unwashed, and in her clothes.

"Your security awareness is quite good," Yuan Xi said expressionlessly, it was unclear whether she was teasing or genuinely praising. She moved Huaiyu's hand aside and picked up a makeup remover pad. "Close your eyes."

Qi Huaiyu's brow furrowed. "How did you get in?" Her tone was sharp, but her eyelids obediently closed.

The damp pad pressed against her eyelids, and Yuan Xi's movements were incredibly gentle. I must have been too rough with my own makeup removal, Huaiyu thought, that's why this feels so comfortable right now.

"You didn't answer my call, so I tried a few passwords," Yuan Xi said, switching to a fresh pad and wiping Huaiyu's face. "99337—your sister's ambitions are truly admirable."

Qi Huaiyu almost choked. She really wanted to crush Yuan Xi, this little brat. With a sharp slap, she knocked Yuan Xi's hand away, sat up abruptly, and stormed into the bathroom, her face dark and silent.

Qi Huaiyu was born into a family of strict teachers. Her mother, Xu Jiazhi, had been a college student from the countryside who worked her way into the city. She was diligent, studious, and dedicated. She and her father, Qi Zheng, had been college classmates. After graduation, they both pursued careers in education. Though they worked at different schools, their relationship remained strong. A few years later, they married and settled down in a staff housing complex.

Xu Jiazhi carried a deep-seated burden. When her mother was pregnant with her first child, her father's family reluctantly revealed that their family had a congenital hereditary disease. For the proud mother, this was a bolt from the blue. By then, she was already halfway through her pregnancy and had no choice but to endure it. Every day, she prayed for her child's health, but fate seemed to delight in tormenting the devout. After the eldest daughter was born, she was diagnosed with intellectual disability. The following year, Xu Guizhi arrived like a ray of hope, rekindling her family's will to live under the shadow of despair.

From a young age, Xu Guizhi envied families with siblings. She had an older sister, but her sister was mentally impaired, still needing to be fed at the age of ten and often crying and wailing late at night. Classmates mocked her for having a "foolish" sister, even suggesting her own intelligence was lacking. Though she didn't like her sister, Xu Guizhi couldn't tolerate outsiders' taunts. She snatched a small twig from the ground and chased her classmates, shouting, "Don't talk about my sister! Don't talk about my sister!"

Her sister lived only to the age of twelve, after which Xu Guizhi became the family's sole daughter. In her heart, she silently vowed that when she married, she would have many, many children, so they could grow up with each other for company. However, in 1995, China was strictly enforcing the one-child policy, and as both she and Qi Zheng were educators, they couldn't risk breaking the law. In 2005, when their daughter Qi Huaiyu was old enough for school, Xu Guizhi, after much deliberation, decided to adopt another girl.

Yuan Xi was six years old when Xu Guizhi brought her home. Her father was a truck driver for a small town factory who died in a fatigue-related car accident. Shortly after, her mother disappeared without a trace. The local neighborhood committee sent Yuan Xi to an orphanage. Because she was physically healthy, Yuan Xi was the only child in the institution who attended regular school.

The teacher at the orphanage had been college classmates with Xu Guizhi. She knew that for the past few years, Xu Guizhi had been traveling to various places, hoping to adopt a little girl. Although the child's age didn't quite meet her expectations, the teacher still contacted Xu Guizhi. After several visits, Xu Guizhi and Qi Zheng became determined to adopt Yuan Xi. The girl was bright and well-behaved, showing a maturity beyond her years.

Because Qi Zheng and Xu Guizhi were busy with their careers, Qi Huaiyu had grown up living with her grandparents, who doted on her, making her bold and boisterous—a notorious "wild child." But after adopting Yuan Xi, Xu Guizhi brought Qi Huaiyu to the provincial capital and resigned from her job to provide both daughters with the best education.

Little Huaiyu was so mischievous that she was constantly being reprimanded by her teachers, while Yuan Xi consistently ranked among the top three students in her class. Xu Guizhi treated the two girls very differently. From the moment Huaiyu could remember, she felt that this girl who had appeared out of nowhere must be Xu Guizhi's real daughter. That feeling had never wavered.

After her bath, Qi Huaiyu caught the aroma of rice porridge. Before her brain could process it, her stomach sent a pang of hunger. She rounded the corner to the kitchen door and saw Yuan Xi standing at the stove, sleeves casually rolled up, slowly stirring the porridge in the pot with a ladle. She looked calm and composed.

Qi Huaiyu walked over and eyed her. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in class today?"

Yuan Xi hummed in response, subtly smoothing down her sleeves and turning off the heat. Qi Huaiyu usually ate only salads, and her refrigerator was stocked with various vegetables. Yuan Xi had used a few to make vegetable porridge. Knowing Qi Huaiyu was strict about her calorie intake, she had also boiled two eggs and peeled the whites for her.

Qi Huaiyu remained ungrateful. "I don't like porridge."

Yuan Xi lowered her gaze and said calmly, "You stayed up all night. Coffee will upset your stomach."

"..." Qi Huaiyu did want coffee. She had bought a semi-automatic espresso machine last month but hadn't used it much yet. "Sorry, that's just how I am." She forced a smile, sidestepped Yuan Xi, and reached for the wall cabinet.

Several bags of single-origin coffee beans were stacked inside, making it difficult to find what she wanted. As she finally pulled out a bag, the other bags piled on top slid down. Qi Huaiyu froze, her first instinct to duck to avoid getting hit in the face.

The coffee bean bags clattered to the floor in a cascade. Qi Huaiyu looked up to see Yuan Xi's hand hovering protectively above her forehead, ready to catch anything that might fall.

A lump formed in Qi Huaiyu's throat. She turned to look at Yuan Xi's eyes, but her sister had already bent down to gather the scattered bags.

"Go rest. I'll grind them for you," Yuan Xi said softly, neatly stacking the retrieved bags in the cabinet.

Qi Huaiyu's lips tightened into a thin line. She stood frozen for a few seconds before saying dismissively, "No need. It's too much trouble. I'll just order takeout."

With that, she turned and walked back to the living room. Yuan Xi watched her retreating figure with a helpless smile.

Since entering the self-media industry three years ago, Qi Huaiyu's sleep schedule had become increasingly erratic. This year, after using her online presence to launch an e-commerce store, the endless tasks had left her with almost no time for sleep. Her complexion visibly worsened, and her immune system began to decline.

Her parents, Qi Zheng and Xu Guizhi, disapproved of her "unconventional" path and strongly opposed her online visibility. In a fit of anger, Qi Huaiyu had stormed out of the house, renting her own apartment and having little contact with her family. Yet Xu Guizhi remained deeply worried, sending Yuan Xi to check on her every few days.

Qi Huaiyu suspected that Xu Guizhi had sent Yuan Xi to act as a mediator, or perhaps to report on her living situation, hoping to see when she would finally come to her senses and obediently return home to find a so-called respectable job.

After more than half an hour, the coffee arrived. Qi Huaiyu grabbed it and retreated into the bedroom, not wanting to see Yuan Xi.

Soon, the hum of a vacuum cleaner started outside the bedroom door. Qi Huaiyu bit down on her straw, her face clouded over. Without makeup, she looked somewhat haggard, but she had inherited Xu Guizhi's exquisite and radiant features, her beauty still possessed a striking intensity.

After a few sips of black coffee, her stomach felt even emptier. Qi Huaiyu habitually opened the food delivery app, then suddenly remembered the small pot of porridge Yuan Xi had made earlier: the rice was crystal clear and tender, fresh green vegetables dotted the steaming broth, releasing a sweet, fragrant aroma.

As she thought of it, Qi Huaiyu swallowed involuntarily. She rolled out of bed and opened the bedroom door.

Her living room, once cluttered with discarded clothes, half-empty coffee cups on the coffee table, and unorganized accessories, was now immaculately tidy. The stack of delivery boxes by the door had been neatly bundled together, and beside them sat two bags of household garbage.

An unknown emotion swelled in Qi Huaiyu's chest, her fingers tightening unconsciously on the doorknob, causing the door to creak and groan.

Yuan Xi was squatting in front of the living room trash can, lost in thought. Qi Huaiyu stared at her frozen profile and suddenly remembered something. She lunged forward, and there, glinting in the trash bin, lay several photographs—

It was during the 51 holiday. She had returned home for the first time in a long time, and Qi Zheng and Xu Guizhi were overjoyed. The family spent a relaxing day at the beach. Qi Huaiyu, who was promoting a Polaroid camera at the time, had snapped some pictures and casually stuffed them into her bag. A few days ago, when she needed to use that bag, she had dug them out.

Every photo featuring Yuan Xi had been thrown into the trash—her solo shots, and two pictures with Xu Guizhi.

Standing beside Yuan Xi, Qi Huaiyu felt her fingertips grow cold and numb. She lowered her head, and from this angle, all she could see were Yuan Xi's distinct, separate eyelashes.

After several internal struggles, Qi Huaiyu finally came up with an excuse that wasn't completely terrible. But after the long silence, Yuan Xi simply picked up the trash bag containing the photos. She stood up, her voice as calm as ever,

"I'm going back now."