The door was knocked, and Xia Qingtian's stepmother, Aunt Liu, entered with Xia Qingyu.
Seeing the mother and daughter, Xia Qingtian felt as if she had crossed into another life.
Xia Qingyu was only fifteen years old at this time, with tender features and a petite figure. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore a white short-sleeved shirt with navy blue overalls.
Her round eyes were red-rimmed with tears, and she bit her lower lip, looking wronged.
"Qingtian, Qingyu didn't do it on purpose," Aunt Liu said apologetically to Xia Qingtian. "She wants to apologize to you."
Xia Qingtian turned her gaze to Aunt Liu.
Aunt Liu was beautiful, always appearing gentle and easy to talk to, and she mostly wore clothes in elegant colors.
In her previous life, she always felt that this stepmother was putting on too good an act, and hypocritical people were the most detestable.
This stepsister was the same, always seeming to endure something, looking like a disaster waiting to happen with ambitions like a wolf.
Xia Qingtian had always believed that this mother and daughter wanted to seize the Xia family's money, that they were her enemies.
But…
They had both died because of her and Father Xia in her previous life.
Xia Qingtian felt she had been truly blind in her past life. Thinking back now, it seemed she had always provoked conflicts with Xia Qingyu.
For example, this time, she had mocked Xia Qingyu, who wanted a tutor, which led Xia Qingyu to push her.
"Sister, I'm sorry," Xia Qingyu said, her voice not loud and tinged with tears.
Xia Qingtian looked at Xia Qingyu. She remembered that Xia Qingyu had apologized at this time in her previous life. What had she done then?
[The Chosen One System has been activated.
Choose a: Just like in your previous life, smash the water glass at Xia Qingyu, curse and mock her. Reward: Enhanced healing ability, immediate pain relief.
Choose b: Forgive her, but impose a minor punishment. Reward: An adrenaline shot, which can be used to break through physical limits in critical moments.]
What the heck was adrenaline…
Xia Qingtian's mouth twitched. However, her head really hurt. She remembered that this bump had also hurt for many days in her previous life.
Seeing Xia Qingtian's continued silence, Father Xia, who was sitting by the bed, cleared his throat and tried to mediate, saying, "Qingtian, your sister has come to apologize. How about... punishing her to confinement for a week?"
"Forget it," Xia Qingtian said, speaking up now. "Anyway... I was also wrong."
"!" Xia Qingyu had expected to hear Xia Qingtian's mockery and humiliation again. She didn't expect her to say "forget it"!
Was this still Xia Qingtian?
"Just... just make her serve me tea and pour water for a few days," Xia Qingtian thought this was a minor punishment. Sure enough, a system prompt confirming the reward arrived in her mind.
Hearing that the reward had arrived, Xia Qingtian felt in a good mood. Looking at Xia Qingyu, who was still looking stunned, she wanted to give her a friendly smile.
She had been blind in her previous life, but she wouldn't be this time. She would treat this stepsister fairly.
They were just two idle people. The Xia family could afford their meals, and the little bit of spare money.
Xia Qingtian's head still throbbed intermittently. Her smile, due to the pain, appeared somewhat sinister and devilish.
"!" Xia Qingyu's eyes widened. She looked as if she had suddenly realized something.
As expected! This was still the Xia Qingtian she knew best! She was plotting to further humiliate her!
Xia Qingyu clenched her fists at her sides, cast a glance at her mother with her peripheral vision, and then lowered her head again.
For her mother, she would endure.
"In that case, it will be a bit tiring for Qingyu to take care of her sister these days. Although you are not biological sisters, you live under the same roof now and should coexist peacefully," Father Xia said with a chuckle.
At this moment, a servant knocked on the door to announce that Song Junhan had arrived.
Hearing the name, Xia Qingtian froze. Her hands fell to her knees. She lowered her head slightly, her eyes flashing with boundless hatred.
[I won't let you go! Even in death, I won't let you go! Next life... next life...]
[You might not even have a next life.]
When she looked up again, Xia Qingtian had completely hidden the hatred in her eyes. The corners of her lips curved into a subtle arc. "Is my tutor here? Then I must go and welcome him personally."
...
After a simple makeup and donning a long dress, with her hair down, she exuded an inherent pride and nobility just by sitting there.
In contrast, Song Junhan was still a college student, a young lad. He wore a white shirt, and the designer watch on his cuff, inconsistent with his status, added seven parts vulgarity to his three parts aloofness.
"Qingtian, Junhan is a top student at Z University. You are not allowed to be willful," Father Xia said with a smile.
"Understood, Dad," Xia Qingtian felt a surge of killing intent and blazing rage just by looking at Song Junhan. Fearing she might give herself away, Xia Qingtian took a sip of iced water, then stood up and said, "Excuse me, I need to step away for a moment."
"Miss Xia, please." Song Junhan looked at Xia Qingtian, his eyes unable to conceal his amazement.
After Xia Qingtian left, Father Xia turned to Song Junhan and said, "Junhan, although my daughter can be a bit willful, she is the most soft-hearted and kind child. As long as you treat her well, the Xia family will naturally not treat you unfairly."
Father Xia looked at Song Junhan with sincere words.
He had strived his whole life for the happiness and well-being of his children.
This Song Junhan was the only son of his respected teacher. His teacher had been incorruptible and renowned throughout his life, so surely his only son would not be too bad.
Hearing Father Xia's words, Song Junhan slightly lowered his head. A flicker of unpleasantness and darkness, after being humiliated, flashed in his eyes.
After putting down the cup in his hand, he looked at Father Xia and said, "Uncle Xia, I think Miss Xia is still young, and I am still studying. When it comes to feelings, it's all about fate. It's not yet time to talk too early, especially since Miss Xia's college entrance exams are the priority."
"That's right," Father Xia also felt he might have been a bit too eager. He nodded, thinking they could discuss it later. "Then let's talk about the marriage of convenience after Qingtian graduates from university."
"I heard Miss Xia also has a sister?" Song Junhan said, wanting to change the subject, as he didn't want to hear the humiliating word "marriage of convenience" from Father Xia anymore.
"Yes, she has a younger sister who is in the ninth grade, named Xia Qingyu," Father Xia replied.
At this moment, Xia Qingtian, who had been eavesdropping from the corner, heard a faint "beep" in her mind.
[The Chosen One System has been activated.
Choose a: Go with the flow and pretend not to know anything. Reward: Actual exam papers for this year's college entrance examination.
Choose b: Confront the scumbag and break the engagement. Reward: Revelation of partial truth from the previous life.]
Why even choose?
Xia Qingtian snorted. She had suppressed herself to the extreme. If she let this Song Junhan stay as her tutor, she wouldn't be surprised if she ended up stabbing him one day and embarking on a criminal path.
Having made up her mind, Xia Qingtian walked straight over, her face filled with anger. "Dad! You lied to me! You said it was a tutor! What marriage of convenience!"
"Qingtian!" Father Xia was startled by Xia Qingtian's voice and immediately stood up. "Listen to Dad's explanation, he..."
Xia Qingtian interrupted Father Xia's words and looked down at Song Junhan. "Why are you asking my dad about my sister? You, who are supposed to be a live-in son-in-law, are just freeloading off the Xia family, and you still want to eat buffet-style? Do you even deserve our Xia sisters?"
"You!" Song Junhan's face immediately darkened. "Miss Xia, you don't need to speak so harshly. I came today only under pressure from my father!"
"So that means you also accepted the money from my dad under pressure?" Xia Qingtian's eyes were cold with mockery. "If you really think you have innate integrity, then return all the money you accepted so shamelessly."
"If you want to be someone else's live-in son-in-law, then honestly stick to your place! Don't be greedy, wanting to get something for nothing and achieve fame and fortune at the same time. Take a look at who you are!"
"Qingtian!" Father Xia felt Xia Qingtian's words were a bit excessive and was about to scold her when he saw Song Junhan stand up abruptly.
"Uncle Xia, I'll be leaving now," Song Junhan said coldly. "Since Miss Xia is so averse to this, let's pretend it never happened."
"What do you mean pretend it never happened? You're not planning to return the money, are you?" Xia Qingtian's voice made Song Junhan freeze in his tracks.
"Don't worry, I won't owe you a single cent," Song Junhan said coldly.
"Then make it as soon as possible," Xia Qingtian said, crossing her arms and sneering. "The new limited edition release, I want all the colors. Don't delay my bag shopping."
"..." Song Junhan's hands were clenched tightly at his sides. He left without a word.
"Xia Qingtian! You've gone too far! I've spoiled you rotten!" Father Xia slammed the table in rage.
At this moment, a "beep" sounded in Xia Qingtian's mind. The events that occurred before and after the college entrance examination in her previous life unfolded before her like scenes from a movie.
Xia Qingtian learned that before Song Junhan came to the Xia family today, he had just secured a startup fund from the Xia Corporation and soon made his first fortune with it.
Seeing the benefits of having money, Song Junhan naturally didn't want to live a poor life anymore. Thus, when the project encountered problems later, and his partner tried to scheme against him with a flawed contract, he, in turn, schemed against Xia Qingtian.
He planned to cause her to break her leg, taking care of her in the name of her "fiancé," controlling her, and claiming it was to care for her that he gave up his career. In reality, his greedy eyes were fixed on the Xia Corporation.
Xia Qingtian remembered that Song Junhan often used this incident to emotionally manipulate her afterward.
At that time, she felt grateful and guilty, while also willingly letting Song Junhan control her.
In the events replayed by the system, Xia Qingtian saw her Father Xia, who had aged considerably after her car accident, and Aunt Liu, who wept with regret for not sending Xia Qingtian to the exam venue. She also saw Xia Qingyu, who couldn't believe it and only dared to visit her while she slept.
She also saw Song Junhan using reasons like, "The doctor said Qingtian needs to rest. Qingtian said she doesn't want to see anyone. Qingtian she..." to prevent the Xia family from visiting her.
And at the same time, he would say to Xia Qingtian, "Qingtian, Uncle Xia must be too busy to visit you... Don't be sad, I'm always by your side, Qingtian..."
The helpless self on the hospital bed, the painful memories all flooded her mind. Gradually, the scene darkened, signaling the end of this replay reward.
"Why... why are you crying?" Father Xia, who was about to properly reprimand Xia Qingtian, saw her crying tearfully now, as if she had suffered immense injustice. He panicked for a moment.
Xia Qingtian regretted it. She should have beaten that scumbag just now!
System: There was no such option, dear.