C6 Return to Yi's Mansion

The leather seat cushion in the black Mercedes-Benz was exceptionally comfortable. Yi Lanyou idly toyed with the seatbelt across her chest while gazing out the window. The sky was darkening, the crowded lanes and the warm glow of street-side shops coming to life.

It all felt so familiar, yet so distant...

Since leaving the home she had known for sixteen years, Yi Lanyou's heart grew heavier with each passing day. Humiliating memories from her past life surfaced relentlessly, fueling her resentment. She had endured a lifetime of suffering, living cautiously, and to outsiders, she was less than a dog at Yi's mansion.

Her previous end had been tragic. Therefore, in this life, she was determined to be bold and domineering, to reclaim every injustice she had suffered, and to avenge her mother!

After all, she had already experienced death once. She feared nothing, not even strapping on a bomb and facing annihilation alongside her enemies.

Yi Haoen cleared his throat, seemingly wanting to speak to Yi Lanyou, with a sense of apology in his heart.

"Dad, what is it?" Yi Lanyou turned to face Yi Haoen. She lacked the typical affection or dependence a daughter might have for her father. Whether in her past life or the present, Yi Haoen had always been a faint presence as a father in her life.

"We're nearly home," Yi Haoen began. "Your stepmother may seem aloof, but she has a kind heart. Your sister, Yi Rui'er, is a bit mischievous, yet she's a good-hearted girl. I think you'll enjoy each other's company. And your brother..."

Yi Haoen chose his words carefully, still referring to her as "stepmother." Even though he had long been divorced from Yuan Hui, who was still among the living, he knew that asking Yi Lanyou to call Fang Fang "mother" might stir resentment. He hoped Fang Fang's tenderness would eventually reach Yi Lanyou.

"Is that so?" Yi Lanyou cut him off, her response icy. A cold smirk played at the corner of her mouth as she turned away, falling silent once more.

The mother and daughter duo were masters of deception, masquerading as benevolent souls. The stepmother, with her kind and tender demeanor, had become the epitome of Z City's high society. But she alone was privy to Fang Fang's true colors.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, Yi Lanyou instinctively clasped her wrist, the searing pain from her memories resurfacing.

"Don't come into the garden anymore; you've frightened my dog," the voice chided.

"I'm sorry..." Yi Lanyou, frail and bleeding, fought back tears as she offered a meek apology, "Mother, I'm so sorry..."

...

"Yi Lanyou? Yi Lanyou?"

"What is it?" Yi Lanyou snapped back to the present, turning to face Yi Haoen.

"What's on your mind?" Yi Haoen inquired, removing the car keys. "We're home. Time to get out."

"Understood, Dad." Yi Lanyou gazed at the open door, the inviting glow spilling out, so seemingly warm and inviting. Yet, Yi Lanyou was acutely aware of the underlying chill and indifference that this facade concealed.