Chapter 3

Naturally, Su Miao hadn’t wanted that.

So her planned confession had died in silence.

She resolved to wait, to wait until Feng Bai built his career and stood on his own two feet. Then she could publicly declare her love for him without placing a burden on his shoulders.

Sadly, she never got to see that day.

Su Miao let out a long, quiet sigh.

She still didn’t fully grasp why Su Ran had been so intent on sabotaging her love life back then, but knowing Su Ran’s petty nature, it was simply because Su Miao’s unhappiness brought her joy.

After that ruined confession, Su Miao had fallen into a deep funk.

But things were different now.

Su Miao was brimming with certainty, because she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Feng Bai loved her back.

Once she dealt with Su Ran once and for all, she wouldn’t hesitate for a single second to tell him how she felt!

And in the meantime, there was no reason she couldn’t break the ice.

Staring down at the contact number, she summoned her courage and hit dial.

She wanted to see him. She wanted to look at him with her own eyes right now.

In her past life, Su Ran’s mind games had convinced her that reaching out to Feng Bai during his startup phase would spark toxic rumors about him using her family’s connections. But she didn’t care about malicious gossip anymore.

Gossip was just noise, it faded eventually.

Before long, a familiar, cool voice resonated through the receiver.

“Miao Miao?”

Su Miao straightened up, her initial surge of boldness instantly evaporating into a nervous flutter.

“Yeah… it’s me. Feng… Feng Bai.”

For a fleeting second, she thought she caught the faint, soft sound of a chuckle on the other end of the line.

“I just… wanted to check in and see how you’re doing lately. Are you busy?” Su Miao slapped a palm against her forehead in self-annoyance. Get it together! You sound like an anxious mess!

A brief pause followed. “Not too busy,” Feng Bai replied softly. “Just a bit surprised. What made you think to call me today?”

Truth be told, he hadn’t known why she had suddenly started avoiding him a month ago. Over time, he hadn’t dared to intrude on her space.

That was the unspoken rule of the adult world. Some things didn’t need to be spelt out.

He had spent restless nights wondering what he had done wrong to offend her, but no matter how hard he searched his memory, he couldn’t find an answer. So hearing her voice now brought nothing but a wave of quiet relief and surprise.

Su Miao paused. A month ago was precisely when Su Ran had given her that demoralizing lecture, sending her into a spiral of self-doubt. Ever since then, she had intentionally dodged Feng Bai whenever he tried to reach out.

“I wasn’t avoiding you!” Su Miao blurted out quickly, desperate to fix the misunderstanding. “I… Why don’t we meet up?”

Realizing how eager she sounded, she bit her lip, trying to think of a cool excuse.

Feng Bai let out a helpless laugh. “I’d love to, but you might have to wait a few days.”

“Why?” Su Miao asked before she could stop herself. “Can’t we meet today?”

Her fast reaction made Feng Bai’s tone soften even further. “Because I’m currently out of town on business,” he explained gently. “I won’t be back for a few days.”

Even through the phone, Su Miao could vividly picture his fond, helpless expression.

“Then… I’ll wait for you to come back,” she murmured softly.

Her voice carried an unconscious tenderness that made Feng Bai’s chest tighten.

“Okay,” he promised, the usual coldness in his voice melting away completely. “Wait for me.”

After hanging up, Su Miao stared down at her call log, a soft, radiant smile blooming across her face.

He was still the boy from her memories.

She clutched the phone to her chest, her heart fluttering.

A few days until he’s back?

Humming a sweet melody, she practically skipped into her walk-in closet, eagerly pulling out outfits as she pondered what to wear for their very first reunion.

Su Miao’s buoyant mood carried straight through to the next morning.

At the breakfast table, Su Ran sat with rimmed red eyes, looking utterly wronged as she cast a fragile glance at Su Miao.

“Miao Miao… about today…”

Su Miao cut in smoothly before her cousin could finish. “I’m completely free today! Plenty of time on my hands. I can tag along with you wherever you want to go, whether you want to get some fresh air or go back to your family’s house to pack.”

Su Ran hesitated, blinking back tears before giving a solemn nod. “Could you take me out for a walk? I really just need to clear my head.”

Su Miao pinched her brows, glancing over at her father with a conflicted grimace before turning her gaze back to Su Ran.

With an expression of pure, earnest concern, Su Miao offered her advice: “Honestly, Cousin, I really don’t think going out for a walk is a good idea. If you bump into happy families enjoying a day out together, it’s only going to make you feel worse about your own situation. Maybe we should just go straight to your place instead! But then again… going back there might trigger too many painful memories…”

She bit her lip, her delicate face twisted in a picture of deep anxiety.

Su Ran: “……”

Going out isn’t good. Going home isn’t good either. Why even offer if you’re going to shoot down every single option? Is she playing with me?

Gritting her teeth, Su Ran slammed her chopsticks onto the table, let out a fresh wave of tears, and fled toward the guest room.

An uncomfortable silence descended over the dining room.

Wen Jiu looked at her daughter with a mixture of fondness and total helplessness. “Miao Miao, you…” She trailed off, at a complete loss for words.

Su Miao took a calm sip of her juice. “I was only looking out for her!”

Wen Jiu and Su Hang exchanged a swift look, remaining quiet.

Neither of them was stupid; they could clearly tell their daughter was intentionally winding Su Ran up.

“Miao Miao,” Wen Jiu said gently, “if having her here bothers you that much, I’ll have your father arrange for her to move back home after things settle down.”

Her daughter’s attitude toward Su Ran had done a complete 180. If Su Miao was acting this hostile, Su Ran must have done something to cross her. Above all else, Wen Jiu trusted her daughter’s judgment.

Su Miao hadn’t expected her mother to take her side so directly without asking for an explanation.

She kept her head down. She couldn’t reveal her rebirth, she had no idea what kind of chaos telling the truth might cause, so she resolved to carry the secret to her grave.

Su Miao’s quiet silence only solidified Wen Jiu’s suspicions.

After Su Miao finished eating and went upstairs, Wen Jiu slipped into her bedroom right behind her.

“Miao Miao, tell me the truth, do you have a problem with Ran?”

In the past, Su Miao would never have spoken to her cousin with such biting passive-aggression.

Su Miao shook her head, putting on a harmless face. “I don’t have a problem with her at all, Mom. I’m just telling it like it is.”

Wen Jiu gave her a look that plainly said I wasn’t born yesterday.

As her mother, how could she miss the sharp edge in her daughter’s eyes? Su Miao was harboring a very real, very deep resentment toward Su Ran.

Wen Jiu placed a comforting hand on Su Miao’s shoulder. “Ran just moved in. We can’t just throw her out overnight—your father wouldn’t agree to it either. We at least have to wait until she pulls herself together.”

Hearing that, Su Miao let out a soft, dry laugh. She looked up at her mother with sudden seriousness. “And what if she never pulls herself together? Are we supposed to let her live under our roof forever?”

Wen Jiu’s smile faded. “Miao Miao… do you know something?”

Su Miao averted her eyes, looking out the window. “All I know is that Cousin Ran wants a lot more than just staying in our guest room for a few days… You and Dad always measure people by your own good intentions. But the world doesn’t always return the favor.”

Wen Jiu froze.

For a fleeting second, she caught an overwhelming sense of heartbreak and weary wisdom in her eighteen-year-old daughter’s tone… almost like someone who had lived through a terrible tragedy.

Refusing to let her mother dig any deeper into her past life, Su Miao sighed and pivoted to a different angle.

She lightly squeezed her mother’s hand. “I was reading this story online the other day. A family took in their orphaned niece out of the goodness of their hearts. The niece acted so sweet and submissive on the surface, but it was all an act. Behind their backs, she conspired with an outsider to steal the family fortune and ended up driving her aunt and uncle to their deaths.”

Wen Jiu fell completely silent.

“……”

The two chatted for a bit longer before Wen Jiu headed down to her husband’s study, casually dropping the story into their conversation.

Su Hang shook his head dismissively. “……Ran would never do something like that.”

Wen Jiu let out a soft sneer. “Years ago, you were convinced her father was an upright man too. Your track record for judging character has always been abysmal.”

Su Hang: “……”

“Honestly,” Wen Jiu continued, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits, “I’ve realized that as long as I bet against your instinct when it comes to people, I’ll be right one hundred percent of the time.”

Though she framed it as a joke, a cold knot of vigilance tightened in her chest.

Feeling deeply discriminated against, Su Hang stood his ground. “Ran is nothing like her father! She’s a good kid.”

She’s a good kid… Wen Jiu’s eyes narrowed further. That line sounded eerily familiar, it was the exact same thing Su Hang had said about his brother before he went to prison for murder.

Quietly, Wen Jiu added Su Ran’s name to her mental blacklist under High Danger.

Upstairs, Su Miao felt a surge of quiet relief. With her sharp, protective mother on high alert, she could breathe a little easier.

She glanced down at her phone. The timeline had shifted, and this time around, she held all the cards.

Setting the house drama aside, her thoughts drifted right back to Feng Bai. He was currently in Jing City, and he had mentioned it would be a few days before he returned. But Su Miao couldn’t wait another second.

She wanted to see him now.

Opening her map app, she checked the distance between An City and Jing City. It wasn’t far at all, a quick drive down the highway.

Oh, right. She was only eighteen.

No driver’s license yet.

No matter. I’ll just hire a private driver.

Fabricating a quick excuse to her mother, Su Miao grabbed her bag and headed out with Uncle Wang, the family’s long-time chauffeur.

When Su Miao handed him the destination, Uncle Wang looked surprised. “Miss Su, does your father know you’re heading to Jing City?”

“It’s not far,” Su Miao replied smoothly, masterfully sidestepping the question. “We can make it back by late afternoon, probably in time for dinner.”

Uncle Wang sighed, knowing better than to press the heiress of the Su family, and started the engine.

Su Miao checked her phone again, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive. The only snag was that she didn’t actually have Feng Bai’s exact address in Jing City.

All she knew was that he was in the city.

A wave of panic suddenly hit her. Had she been too impulsive? Now that she was actually on her way, her mind was a complete blank. What was she even going to say when she saw him?

She sat in the backseat, clutching her phone with a face full of sheer, unadulterated panic.

Watching her through the rearview mirror, Uncle Wang chuckled warmly. “Heading out to see your boyfriend, Miss?”

Su Miao’s face flushed bright red. “N-no! He’s not my boyfriend…”

“Then what are you so nervous about?” Uncle Wang asked, amused.

“I’m not nervous!” Su Miao protested, her voice rising an octave. “You’re seeing things!”

To cover her embarrassment, she dialed Feng Bai’s number. She needed his location anyway. Now that she had committed to the trip, no amount of anxiety was going to stop her from seeing him.

Uncle Wang smiled knowingly to himself.

That lingering “not yet” in her denial spoke volumes. Give it a few days, and that boy would definitely be her boyfriend.

He listened intently, secretly hoping to catch a piece of sweet young romance.

The first call went unanswered. Su Miao’s heart did a strange, uncomfortable flip. She dialed a second time.

A sudden, inexplicable wave of dread settled in her stomach.

This time, the phone rang for a long time before someone finally picked up. But the voice on the line didn’t belong to Feng Bai.

It was a professional, polite female voice.

“Hello? This is Jing City General Hospital. Are you a friend of Feng Bai? He was involved in a serious car accident about half an hour ago…”

The world went completely silent. Su Miao felt as if a bomb had detonated inside her brain. Tears instantly burst from her eyes, spilling uncontrollably down her cheeks.

Uncle Wang, who had been ready for some lighthearted gossip, was instantly thrown into a panic. He snapped into action, pulling over to ask for details.

“Uncle Wang!” Su Miao choked out, her voice raw. “Take me to Jing City General Hospital right now!”

Uncle Wang hadn’t expected such a terrifying turn of events. He murmured quick words of comfort, immediately plugged the hospital into the GPS, and slammed his foot on the accelerator.

Su Miao tried desperately to pull herself together. Wiping her tears, she kept chanting a frantic mantra in her head: He’s okay. He has to be okay.

In her past life, Feng Bai had overcome every obstacle to reach the very top of the world. He was a survivor. He wouldn’t die here.

Yet, a thick, suffocating cloud of dread wrapped around her chest. By the time they arrived at the hospital, the sharp, pungent stench of antiseptic made her stomach turn. Though she kept telling herself he was safe, the paralyzing terror refused to let go.

She bolted through the hospital doors, her heart hammering against her ribs, her legs moving on sheer adrenaline. The world around her blurred into a streak of white walls and sterile lights. She had only one singular focus: find Feng Bai and prove to herself that he was still breathing.

A nurse’s gentle reassurance finally pulled her back from the edge of panic. Feng Bai was out of emergency care and resting in a private room, his injuries were minor and not life-threatening. Su Miao let out a long, shuddering breath, though her trembling hands refused to calm down.

Standing behind her, Uncle Wang let out a massive sigh of relief. Seeing the young heiress this distraught had nearly given him a heart attack.

“Miss Su,” Uncle Wang asked carefully, “should we head up to his room now?”

Su Miao nodded, a mix of desperate anticipation and fear swirling in her chest as she followed the nurse down the quiet hallway.

She pushed the door open gently, her steps light and hesitant.

Her eyes were red and stinging. She lowered her head, internally scolding herself for being so fragile. She had lived through death itself, yet the mere thought of losing him still reduced her to a weeping mess.

Pulling up a chair beside the hospital bed, Su Miao sat down with a heavy sigh. She stared intensely at the young man resting peacefully under the white sheets, her heart overflowing with overwhelming emotion.

In this lifetime, I’m never letting you go.

Turning to Uncle Wang, she whispered softly, “Uncle Wang, could you please go handle his admission paperwork and extend his hospital stay?”

“Of course, Miss.” Uncle Wang glanced at the boy on the bed, finding his features oddly familiar.