My sister, whom I raised, has turned evil after faking her death for three years.

As Cui Jiayi said, Uncle Wu really doesn't have the courage to fight to the death right now.

His wife is still in the hospital, and the monthly bills for targeted therapy are like fine ropes, binding him firmly to the spot...

Butler Wu put the white glove he had taken off back on. His fingertips were still cold, but his movements had returned to their usual composure.

He pushed open the door to the side hall, walked through the corridor, and returned to the main hall. By then, there was no trace of emotion on his face.

He bowed slightly to Jiang Ren, his voice steady and respectful: "Young Master, Ms. Cui has already left. She asked me to convey her apologies to everyone for the chaos that was accidentally caused earlier."

Jiang Ren leaned against the Roman column, one hand in his suit trouser pocket, and did not immediately respond after listening.

He looked at Uncle Wu's slightly bowed figure, remained silent for a few seconds, and sighed: "Uncle Wu, I know all too well whether Cui Jiayi will apologize or not. You don't need to speak up for her like this because of my mother's relationship."

Uncle Wu maintained his bowed posture and offered no explanation.

He knew the young master was right, and he also knew that the young master had long seen through his words, which were just a thin, transparent fig leaf.

Fortunately, Jiang Ren did not pursue the matter further, but simply waved his hand, indicating that the matter should end there.

Then he turned to the side, raised his hand to gesture to Su Qing and Jiang Ran who were standing not far away, and his tone returned to its usual amiable tone: "By the way, Uncle Wu, let me introduce you. This is Su Qing, I've mentioned her to you before. This is her sister, Jiang Ran."

Following Jiang Ren's gesture, Uncle Wu turned to the two figures. He had served the Jiang family for over thirty years and had seen all sorts of big scenes, so he had long since developed the ability to remain calm in the face of adversity.

He was about to bow slightly as usual and greet her politely when that name reached his ears, and his pupils trembled very slightly.

Jiang Ran.

He silently repeated the name in his mind, the same pronunciation he heard it when he first heard it outside his wife's room years ago.

He raised his eyes and his gaze fell on the girl standing next to Su Qing. She looked to be fourteen or fifteen years old, with a cool and aloof expression, an upright posture, and beautiful black hair.

He quickly lowered his gaze, suppressing the ripples in his eyes that hadn't yet spread.

There are too many people in this world with the same name; perhaps it's just a coincidence.

He told himself this in his heart, and then, as if nothing had happened, he bowed slightly and greeted the two of them.

But the system had already detected that momentary anomaly.

It whispered in Su Qing's mind: [Host, just now, when Butler Wu heard the name 'Jiang Ran,' his pupils contracted abnormally for 0.4 seconds, and his breathing rate fluctuated briefly.]

Based on the overall assessment, he has an unusual reaction to this name.

Su Qing was taking juice from a passing waiter's tray when she heard the system report. Her finger paused for a moment on the rim of the glass, then she casually picked up the glass and took a sip.

She didn't say much, but simply kept the information to herself for the time being.

This little incident was quickly overshadowed by the party atmosphere.

The band on the lawn began to play, and guests chatted and laughed in small groups, champagne glasses in hand.

Sun Yaqin wore a navy blue velvet dress and smiled brightly among her friends.

She spotted Su Qing from a distance, grabbed her wine glass, and quickly walked over, pulling Su Qing's hand and leading her to her table.

She had clearly had a few too many drinks; her cheeks were flushed, and when she smiled, the fine lines around her eyes were much deeper than usual, but her eyes were surprisingly bright.

  

"Come on, ladies, let me introduce you!"

Sun Yaqin pulled Su Qing close, her voice brimming with undisguised pride, "This is my sister Su Qing, whom I often tell you about. She's beautiful and has a wonderful personality!"

Several elegantly dressed women nearby smiled and agreed, with one saying that Sun Yaqin always talked about it at every gathering, and today they finally met her in person.

Some people praised Su Qing for being young yet composed, with such a good temperament.

Some people even joked that Sun Yaqin spoke of Su Qing as if she were praising her own daughter.

Surrounded by the overwhelming praise, Su Qing's ears began to burn, and her fingers unconsciously rubbed back and forth along the rim of the juice glass.

She finally found a gap, whispered to Sun Yaqin, "I'll take Xiaoran over there for a stroll," and then quickly slipped away from the group gathered around that table.

Even after walking several steps, she could still hear laughter behind her. With lingering fear, she said to Jiang Ran, "That was terrifying."

After Su Qing left, Sun Yaqin leaned back in her chair, holding a wine glass, watching her figure disappear into the crowd on the lawn.

A woman surnamed Zhou leaned over, nudged her elbow, and whispered, "Yaqin, tell us the truth, is this girl Xiaoyan's girlfriend? Didn't you say that Xiaoyan only doesn't react to her?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Yaqin swirled the champagne in her glass and gave a helpless laugh: "I'd like to, but she's not in the mood. Xiaoqing is just a friend to Xiaoyan, the purest kind of friend. She also has to take care of her younger sister, so she doesn't have time to think about these things."

Mrs. Zhou was even more puzzled, and another friend chimed in, "Isn't that a bit odd? What are the Cheng family's circumstances in Beicheng? If she really married into the family, wouldn't it be more convenient for her to take care of her sister? So many people are desperate to get related to you through marriage, why would she..."

Upon hearing this, Sun Yaqin waved her hand, interrupting them.

She looked at Su Qing, who was talking to Jiang Ran in the distance, her eyes crinkling with laughter, put her wine glass on the table, and said with a seriousness she rarely showed in social situations: "She is different from all the girls you have met. I'm not just saying she's different; she's really different. If it were someone else, with our family's resources and Xiao Yan's connection, they would probably be tempted."

"But she never even glanced at him from beginning to end. Over the years, she has never accepted anything expensive when given gifts. She always returns any help she receives. Even though she is not very old herself, she has managed to raise her younger sister to be beautiful and academically outstanding. She has experienced hardship, but she has never wanted to rely on others. So don't try to apply that script of marrying into a wealthy family to her. She doesn't care."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Meanwhile, during a break in the party, Butler Wu found an opportunity to get back to the young master's side.

Jiang Ren was leaning against the long table eating a fruit tart when she saw him coming over, so she handed him a glass of juice.

Butler Wu accepted the juice and thanked her, glancing casually at the lawn before his gaze fell on Jiang Yi, who was chattering incessantly beside Su Qing. His tone carried a gentle, elder-like quality: "It seems Miss really likes Miss Su; she's been clinging to her ever since she arrived today."

Jiang Ren followed his gaze and saw her younger sister whispering in Su Qing's ear on tiptoe. She shook her head with a smile: "She's been like this since she was little. She forgets her own surname as soon as she sees Su Qing."

Butler Wu smiled and, as is the custom of older people chatting casually, asked naturally, "Are Miss Su and Miss Jiang sisters? They don't look very alike."

Jiang Ren tossed the empty fruit tart cup into the nearby trash can, unaware that the fingers holding the juice glass tightened slightly when Butler Wu asked her question.

He casually shook his head: "Not by blood. Jiang Ran was adopted by Su Qing, but their relationship is probably closer than that of blood sisters."

Butler Wu stood still, his fingers gripping the glass of the juice glass tightly, his fingertips turning slightly white from the force.

adoption.

The two words exploded in his mind like a muffled thunderclap that had been buried for over a decade.

He nodded, feigning composure, using all the calm he had accumulated over half a lifetime to keep his voice steady: "It's getting late, so I'll go get the car first. Please enjoy your meal, young master."

After speaking, he bowed slightly and turned to walk towards the parking lot on the side of the villa.

Jiang Ren glanced at his back and felt that something was not quite right.

But just then, Jiang Yi called out to him from not far away, and his attention was diverted.

He didn't see that when Butler Wu turned the corner of the flower bed, his pace suddenly quickened, becoming completely different from the calm and composed old butler he usually was.

He also failed to see that when the elderly man with graying hair reached the garage door, his hands trembled so much that he tried three times before he could insert the key into the lock.

After getting into the driver's seat, Butler Wu closed the door, gripped the steering wheel with both hands, and leaned back in his seat as if all his strength had been drained.

His heart was pounding violently in his chest, each beat making his eardrums buzz.

He told himself it might just be a coincidence; there are so many people in the world with the same name, and so many adopted children.

But the girl's features, that inexplicable sense of familiarity, the name I overheard from the lady, her adoption, her age—everything matched up.

He had stood in front of that girl named Jiang Ran for so long and talked for so long, yet he hadn't recognized her at all. He didn't dare to recognize her, and he never dared to even think about it.

Everyone thought the Jiang family's youngest daughter was dead, but only he knew she was alive.

He was the one who sent her away, and he was the one who wrote that name on her adoption file.

He rested his forehead on the steering wheel and closed his eyes.

The scene from that night more than a decade ago resurfaced in my mind: the tiny face in the baby basket, wrapped in a pink swaddle with a rabbit pattern. When he placed her at the gate of the orphanage, she was crying, crying very loudly.

He stood there waiting for a long time until he saw staff members come out and carry her inside, then he turned and left.

He thought he would never see that child again in his life.

He thought time would smooth out all traces like polishing a stone, until today, until that girl named Jiang Ran appeared in front of him.

He didn't know if this was fate playing some kind of joke, but he knew one thing... the debt he owed might finally be due.