After being attacked by the rich young ladies with hatchets, I chose to enter "sage mode".

"Hahaha, Su Rongxue only has a mother and no father, poor little thing~"

"Exactly, exactly, we don't like poor wretches without fathers."

"Hehehe, go play by yourself and don't come near us."

When children play together, there will always be various comparisons. Compared to Su Rongxue, who has lost her father's love since childhood, her father's departure will make her lose courage and become timid and cowardly amidst the constant cries of "poor thing without a father".

Of course, this situation did not make Su Rongxue so bad that she had no friends. It just made her very dependent on her friends. If she didn't have friends with her, even going to the toilet would make her feel restrained and panicked. Social anxiety really is something she has had since childhood.

However, her father's passing did not make Su's mother appear sad. On the contrary, Su Rongxue would often see her carrying her father's urn around. Her mother would wrap the urn in a jewelry box to make it look beautiful and elegant.

Su Rongxue didn't quite understand her mother's behavior. Every time she asked her mother, her mother would earnestly explain that the meaning of love is not that separation by life and death is the end, but that it continues even after separation by life and death.

What is love? Su Rongxue didn't really understand it from childhood to adulthood. She only knew that following her mother's words and actions was the right thing to do. It wasn't until she held the urn containing the ashes of the person she loved that she remembered her father's words before he passed away: She is herself, and her mother is her mother. Her love and her mother's love seem to be somewhat different.

Chapter 97 Si Yu Extra

"Siyu, don't cry. Even though your parents are gone, you still have your uncle and aunt, and your little sister Zhang Ting to keep you company. From now on, we are a family. Be good."

Despite feeling her uncle's concern for her, Si Yu's heart was filled with the sadness of her parents' passing, and she didn't know what to do in the future.

Seeing Si Yu crying incessantly, Zhang Ting appeared somewhat reserved because her family was going to move into Si Yu's large villa. After all, her current attire was a stark contrast to Si Yu's beautiful dress, making her look like a country girl compared to a princess.

"Sister Siyu...can I play with you?"

Zhang Ting reached out and carefully tugged at Si Yu's hand. She genuinely wanted to play with Si Yu because she looked very pretty and made her envious.

Her performance also pleased her parents. After all, they were now in charge of Siyu's upbringing, which meant they no longer had to go back to their small town to work and make a living. Instead, they could live in a big house in the city and eat and dress well.

They used to envy Si Yu's parents so much, but now they feel incredibly lucky that they are their blood relatives after the accident.

Although Zhang Xinlong was still somewhat saddened by his sister's passing, he knew that once someone dies, it's like a lamp going out, and those who are still alive naturally have to focus on making money. Moreover, he would need to manage his sister and brother-in-law's company step by step, which would put a lot of pressure on him. After all, he had never been in such a high position before, so it would be a lie to say that he wasn't nervous. He was even afraid that he might mess things up if he wasn't careful.

Of course, at this time, Zhang Xinlong still genuinely treated Si Yu as his niece and never thought of usurping her position. However, ever since he took over the management of the company and started receiving praise from those around him, people's desires and minds have begun to change.

The Zhang family, who were initially quite frugal for the first two years, gradually became extravagant and even began to develop resistance towards Si Yu.

After all, Si Yu is now someone who is neither loved by his grandmother nor his grandfather, and his parents are gone. This lack of connections and background makes them see an opportunity to gain both power and profit.

Zhang Ting's attitude towards Si Yu changed from being polite and cautious at the beginning to being domineering and arrogant later. She felt that Si Yu was a pitiful wretch who no one wanted except for her family taking her in. She thought that her family was just pitying her, so why should such a person be as beautiful as a princess, while she had to be treated like a naive girl who had never seen the world?

Human greed, jealousy, and envy gradually led Zhang Xinlong's family to ostracize, insult, and suppress Si Yu, the benefactor who had bestowed upon them wealth and honor that they might never enjoy in their entire lives.

Si Yu was locked up, starved, beaten, and verbally abused by Zhang Xinlong's family. These were behaviors that even her parents had never treated her like this when she was alive.

But at that time, Si Yu was just a little girl. She thought that as long as she lowered her stance a little, she could win the favor of her uncle's family and still see them leading her to a happy life.

Unfortunately, her repeated attempts to lower her stance did not earn her any favor from Zhang Xinlong's family; instead, they only ostracized her more brazenly.

Si Yu was only in the third grade of elementary school. Because she was ostracized by her uncle's family, Zhang Ting always told her not to say that she knew her at school, which made her seem a little humble and timid, and she didn't have a single friend.

Boys often express their affection for her by teasing her because she is pretty, but Si Yu sees their affection as nothing more than blatant bullying.

Today is the weekend, Friday afternoon, and every student, and even the entire elementary school, is filled with the joy of having a holiday.

Standing inside the school gate, watching her uncle drive his newly bought car and pick her up amidst the envious gazes of her classmates, her eyes reddened. She thought of her father and mother, who used to pick her up on weekends as well.

Just as Si Yu was standing inside the school gate, watching the car drive away and holding back her tears, a little boy carrying a black Ultraman backpack stood in front of her.

"Hey? Why are you crying? It's Friday! Aren't you happy about the weekend? Do you want me to take you to play video games? Have you ever tried King of Fighters with a joystick? Do you know Metal Slug?"

Looking at the smiling little boy in front of me, who was carrying a schoolbag and was half a head shorter than me, he was probably in first or second grade.

"I...I don't know..."

Although she didn't know him, Si Yu still responded to him with a sob in her voice.

"Then I'll take you. Why are you crying when it's a holiday? I don't even cry when my parents hit me with a belt. Come on."

The little boy waved and gestured for Si Yu to follow him, acting too familiarly, which made Si Yu very uncomfortable.

However, having no friends to begin with, she couldn't bring herself to say the word "no."

Carrying her schoolbag, Si Yu followed the little boy and soon led him into an arcade after he left the school gate.

Lifting the curtain of the arcade, Si Yu entered and saw various game machines surrounded by many people, with laughter and chatter filling the air.

"Do you have money? It only costs one dollar to play once, do you want to play?"

The little boy stretched out his hand, his skin incredibly thick. He clearly wanted to play video games but didn't have any money, so he dragged Si Yu along hoping to get them for free.

However, Si Yu did have five yuan on her. She didn't like buying anything, so she naively gave it to the little boy.

Upon seeing how wealthy Si Yu was, the little boy immediately smiled and began to introduce himself like a sycophant.

"Wow, you're so rich, sister. From now on, I'll be your little brother. If anyone bullies you, just call me. In first grade, they all called me Brother Bai. Of course, you can just call me Little Bai, hehe."

Looking at this grinning little boy, Si Yu always felt that he was very unserious. How could such a small kid be so shameless?

Just as the two sat down to start a game, a rather beautiful young woman walked in. After scanning everyone present with her beautiful eyes, she rushed forward, grabbed the little boy's ear, and dragged him out of the arcade.

"You brat, you're playing video games again. You can play even without me paying you, huh?"

"Mom, someone else invited me. I won't do it again, I won't do it again..."

Seeing Xiaobai suddenly being dragged away by a woman, Si Yu smiled in a very inappropriate way, a smile that hadn't appeared on his face for a long time.

However, a week after meeting Xiaobai, before they had even officially gotten to know each other, she transferred schools with Zhang Ting to a prestigious private school. Xiaobai gradually faded from Si Yu's memory, and she only remembered that she had met a shameless brat in elementary school who had taken five yuan from her for free.

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Murong Liyue's Side Story

"Liyue, remember to practice piano tonight. We've got a new teacher for you. She's a grade 10 pianist and her teaching is top-notch. Study hard. And remember to do your best in your calligraphy class tomorrow too, okay? Mom has high hopes for you."

Murong Meng looked at the little girl in front of her, who was a little over 1.5 meters tall, and her face was filled with a joyful smile. Her excellence was nothing compared to her own, because her daughter had to be a hundred or a thousand times more outstanding than herself.

As for her mother's words, Murong Liyue clenched her small hands behind her back, biting her cute little lips with her pearly teeth, wanting to say something, but she still didn't say anything even after Murong Meng hurriedly left.

Watching her mother's busy figure every day, she knew she was her mother's pride and must not let her down. But sometimes she also longed to go out and play for a while, watch some TV...

Turning to look at the scattered passersby laughing and playing outside the villa window, and the children playing with their parents, she felt a deep longing in her heart.

She was learning music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Weekends were a time of leisure and fun for her classmates, but for her, it was like being a caged magpie, being watched and entertained by others.

"Oh, by the way, Li Yue, do you know what you're going to do this weekend?"

Just as Murong Liyue was lost in thought, encouraging herself not to be playful and to become her mother's pride, Murong Meng suddenly turned around and came back.

Hearing her mother's words, Murong Liyue had no idea what she was supposed to do on the weekend. Wasn't she supposed to go to painting class?

"painting?"

"No, Mom cleared out half a day of your painting class this Sunday afternoon. Guess what the big thing is?"

Murong Meng bent down and looked at Murong Liyue's exquisitely beautiful face with a mysterious expression.

Seeing her mother's mysterious expression, Murong Liyue's first thought was that she wanted to go out and play with her, and a hint of anticipation appeared in her eyes. However, even though she was looking forward to playing, she didn't dare to say it. Her mother's teaching was not to be playful, and the word "play" had never been suitable for her since she was a child.

"Go...I don't know..."

"Mom signed you up for a speech contest. Lots of kids are going to participate. Good luck! You have to win first place and show them that we're both amazing, okay?"

Looking up at her mother's joyful eyes, Murong Liyue smiled faintly in return, but she was not happy at all.

"Mom, when can we go out and see the world?"

She turned and glanced at the scenery outside the window. Knowing she couldn't just say "play," she said "look." Upon hearing this, the smile in Murong Meng's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by seriousness and indifference.

"What's the point of going out to see anything? Once you've finished the courses your mother has arranged for you and passed all the exams for these certificates, you can enjoy the scenery along the way as you please, right?"

She pursed her small, cute lips and didn't say anything more. From then on, she began to believe her mother's words wholeheartedly, thinking that as long as she finished learning what her mother had arranged, she could play like ordinary children.

Watching her mother's departing figure again, Murong Liyue turned around and glanced out the window one last time before stubbornly sitting down at the piano.

"Little sister, you have no idea how awesome your brother was today. I beat five people at school all by myself. None of them could beat me. Look at my hand, it's all bruised. But in the end, I was still the best, hehe."

Just as Murong Liyue sat down to practice playing the zither, Murong Chun suddenly rushed into her practice room and began to boast about her achievements.

He turned to look at Murong Chun's outstretched arm, and there was indeed a bruise on it, but he didn't show any signs of pain. Instead, he seemed quite happy.

He couldn't understand or comprehend his own happiness, wondering why his brother would laugh so joyfully at such a violent act as fighting.

"Sis, stop playing the piano. What's so fun about just pressing the buttons and making a clanging sound? Let's go out and play! I know a really fun secret spot where my buddies and I go after school to have one-on-one matches and see who's the best. Want to come?"

Looking at Murong Chun's expectant eyes, Murong Liyue really wanted to say that she wanted to go, but her mother's restraint made her afraid to make a decision on her own. Perhaps her decision would be wrong, and being playful was not a good thing.

She longed for it, but she had to restrain herself. She had to break away from her current playfulness and wait until she had finished learning everything her mother had arranged before she could play properly.

But Murong Liyue didn't know that there's always more to learn in a lifetime. After mastering the four arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, there's still love, chess, calligraphy, and conversation. These things are enough for a person to study for several lifetimes. Moreover, Murong Meng's plan is for her entire life, not just a year or two.

"Xiaochun, come here. Why are you disturbing your sister's piano practice? If your mom finds out, your dad and I will get scolded along with you when we get back. If you want to play, go play somewhere else, understand?"

Standing at the door of the room, Murong Liyue's father waved to Murong Chun cautiously, his expression showing great anxiety.

Hearing his father's reprimand, Murong Chun could only glance reluctantly at Murong Liyue, who was staring at him expressionlessly, before turning and leaving.

More than ten years passed in the blink of an eye. It wasn't until she graduated from high school that Murong Liyue realized how ridiculous her beliefs were. She had lived like a puppet for more than ten years. The rich and comfortable life only provided the basic conditions for survival, but she had never had a moment of mental relaxation.

Standing indifferently at the high school gate after school, I decided not to practice piano tonight, since I've already reached level ten and there's no need to continue. Instead, I'm going to learn dance.

As the Rolls-Royce drove up from a distance, Murong Liyue had long been used to the envious glances from all around her. But little did they know that she didn't like this kind of life at all.

"Holy crap, Brother Bai, what you said was true! The young ladies at these elite schools are really beautiful and rich. Look at that girl getting into that luxury car, isn't she gorgeous?"

"Wow, she's really pretty, but those rich girls aren't easy to pursue."

"Brother Bai, everyone should have dreams. If I had a girlfriend that hot, I'd break my bones to make soup for her."

"Pfft, you're dreaming. If someone as good-looking as me had a girlfriend who was both rich and gorgeous, I'd use my ashes to make soup for her."

"Holy crap, Brother Bai, you're even more ruthless than me, hahaha."

"Absolutely! Don't you know who the boss is?"

Bai Yu patted her chest, but when she turned to look at the luxury car again, it was gone. She hadn't even gotten a good look at the girl's face, only that she was very beautiful, the kind of beauty she had only dreamed of.

Chapter One: I Want to Get Closer to My Timid Love

Slowly opening my eyes, I saw a familiar yet unfamiliar white ceiling, and the scent I caught was a hint of the pungent smell of air freshener.

Bai Yu sat up and looked at his wrist. He remembered that he was definitely dead, and that he had cut his own veins. There was no chance of reversing anything. He also clearly remembered that he had lost consciousness. Why was he being kept alive now? Was God not going to let him go?

Reaching out, I lifted the blanket that looked somewhat familiar. Looking up at the small room, a wardrobe, a desk, and a laptop, the scene was so familiar, but my somewhat confused and dizzy mind went blank for a moment, and the memories were painful.

However, this situation did not last long. After only a few minutes, Bai Yu remembered where she was. She was in the rented room in the small island country. The decorations around her did not look completely tidy up, so she must have just moved in.

He took out his phone and glanced at the date. The date clearly showed that it was indeed the summer he moved into this room when he first came to the island nation.

After seeing these messages, Bai Yu's hand holding his phone trembled. He felt that it all seemed so unreal, so surreal. Had he been reborn? Had everything gone back to the way it was before?