The door was knocked upon, and Xia Qingtian's stepmother, Aunt Liu, entered with Xia Qingyu.
Seeing the mother and daughter, Xia Qingtian felt as though she had traveled through time and space.
Xia Qingyu was only fifteen at this time, her features still tender and her figure petite. 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 mean it," 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 approachable, and her clothes were mostly in simple, elegant colors.
In her past life, she always felt that this stepmother was a great actress, and hypocrites were the most detestable.
And this stepsister, too, always seemed to be enduring something, appearing to be a harbinger of disaster with ambitious intentions.
Xia Qingtian had always believed that this mother and daughter wanted to seize the Xia family's wealth, and that they were her enemies.
But…
In her past life, they both died because of her and her father.
Xia Qingtian felt that she had truly been blind in her past life, and recalling it now, it seemed like she had always been the one to instigate conflict with Xia Qingyu.
For example, this time, she had mocked Xia Qingyu for wanting a tutor first, and only then did Xia Qingyu push her.
"Sister, I'm sorry," Xia Qingyu said softly, her voice choked with sobs.
Xia Qingtian looked at Xia Qingyu. She remembered that Xia Qingyu had also apologized at this time in her past life, and wondered what she had done then.
[Heavenly Chosen Son System activated.
Choose A: Just like in your past life, smash the water cup at Xia Qingyu, scold and mock her. Reward: Enhanced healing ability, immediate pain relief.
Choose B: Choose to forgive, but impose a small punishment. Reward: An adrenaline shot, usable to break through physical limits in critical moments.]
What the heck was adrenaline…
Xia Qingtian's mouth twitched, but her head really did hurt. She remembered that her bag had hurt for many days during this time in her past life.
Seeing Xia Qingtian's continued silence, her father, who was sitting by the bed, cleared his throat and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Qingtian, your sister has come to apologize. How about… we confine her for a week?"
"Forget it," Xia Qingtian said, speaking up. "Anyway… it was also my fault."
"!" Xia Qingyu had expected to hear Xia Qingtian's mockery and humiliation again, but she hadn't expected her to say "forget it"!
Was this still the Xia Qingtian she knew?
"Just… just punish her by serving me tea and water for a few days," Xia Qingtian thought that this could be considered a minor punishment, and sure enough, the system notification of the reward being credited arrived in her mind.
Hearing that the reward had arrived, Xia Qingtian was in a good mood. Looking at the stunned Xia Qingyu, she wanted to give her a friendly smile.
She had been blind in her past life, but she wouldn't be in this one. She would treat this stepsister fairly.
It was just two idle people; the Xia family could afford their food and a little spare money.
The back of Xia Qingtian's head still throbbed. Her smile, due to the pain, appeared somewhat sinister and eerie.
"!" Xia Qingyu's eyes widened at the sight, her expression one of sudden realization.
As expected! This was still the Xia Qingtian she knew best! She was plotting to humiliate her further!
Xia Qingyu clenched her fists at her sides, her peripheral vision glancing at her mother before lowering her head again.
For her mother, she would endure it.
"Since that's the case, Qingyu, you'll have to work a little harder these few days to take care of your sister. Although you are not biological sisters, you now live under the same roof and should coexist peacefully," her father said with a chuckle.
At this moment, a servant knocked on the door to announce that Song Junhan had arrived.
Upon hearing the name, Xia Qingtian stiffened. Her hands fell to her knees, her head slightly bowed, and infinite hatred erupted in her eyes.
[I won't let you off! I won't let you off even in death! In the next life… next life…]
[You'll have to survive to have a next life.]
When she looked up again, Xia Qingtian had completely concealed the hatred in her eyes, her lips curving into a subtle arc. "My tutor is here? Then I must personally welcome him."
…
After a simple grooming, dressed in a long dress with her hair down, she exuded an innate pride and nobility just by sitting there.
In contrast, Song Junhan was still a young undergraduate. A white shirt was worn on his body, 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're not allowed to be willful," her father said with a smile.
"Understood, Dad," Xia Qingtian felt a surge of killing intent and overwhelming anger just by looking at Song Junhan. Fearing she would slip up, Xia Qingtian took a sip of ice 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 filled with undisguised admiration.
After Xia Qingtian left, her father turned to Song Junhan and said, "Junhan, although my daughter is a bit willful, she is the kindest and most soft-hearted child. As long as you treat her well, the Xia family will naturally not treat you unfairly."
Her father looked at Song Junhan with sincere words.
He had strived his entire life for nothing more than his children's happiness and well-being.
Song Junhan was the only son of his esteemed teacher. His teacher had been incorruptible and renowned throughout his life, so his only son should not be too bad.
Upon hearing her father's words, Song Junhan slightly lowered his head, a flicker of ugliness and malevolence after being humiliated flashing in his eyes.
After putting down the cup in his hand, he looked at her father and said, "Uncle Xia, I think Miss Xia is still young, and I am still studying. Matters of the heart ultimately depend on fate. It's not necessary to say too much now, after all, Miss Xia's college entrance examination is the important matter."
"Indeed," her father thought he might have been a bit too hasty, so he nodded, thinking it could be discussed later. "Then after Qingtian graduates from university, we can discuss the matter of him becoming a son-in-law."
"I heard Miss Xia has another sister?" Song Junhan, wanting to steer the conversation away from the humiliating word "son-in-law" from her father, changed the topic.
"Yes, there's also a younger sister in the ninth grade, named Xia Qingyu," her father replied.
At this moment, Xia Qingtian, who had been eavesdropping by the wall, heard a faint "beep" in her mind.
[Heavenly Chosen Son System activated.
Choose A: Go with the flow and pretend you know nothing. Reward: Actual past exam papers for this year's college entrance examination.
Choose B: Confront the scumbag and ruin the engagement. Reward: Replay part of the truth from the past life.]
Was there even a choice to be made?
Xia Qingtian let out a cold snort. She had reached her limit. If she let this Song Junhan stay as her tutor, she might end up killing him one day and embarking on a path of crime.
Having made up her mind, Xia Qingtian walked straight over, her face full of anger. "Dad! You lied to me! You said he was a tutor! What son-in-law!"
"Qingtian!" Her father was startled by Xia Qingtian's voice and immediately stood up. "Listen to your father's explanation, he…"
Xia Qingtian interrupted her father and looked down at Song Junhan. "Why are you asking my dad about my sister? You're coming here to be a live-in son-in-law, and you're already freeloading off the Xia family, yet you even want to eat buffet-style? How could you be worthy of our Xia sisters?"
"You!" Song Junhan's face immediately darkened. "Miss Xia, you don't need to speak so harshly. I came here today only under pressure from my father!"
"So, that means you accepted the money my dad gave you under pressure too?" Xia Qingtian's gaze was cold and mocking. "If you truly consider yourself noble, then return all the money you took with such thick skin."
"If you want to be someone else's son-in-law, then honestly know your place! Don't be greedy, wanting to get rich and famous without working for it. Don't you even look at what you are!"
"Qingtian!" Her father 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 take my leave," Song Junhan said coldly. "Since Miss Xia is so opposed to this, let's just 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 ones, I want all the colors. Don't delay me from buying bags."
"…" Song Junhan's hands were clenched into fists at his sides, and he left without a word.
"Xia Qingtian! You've gone too far! I've spoiled you rotten!" Her father slammed the table, furious.
At this moment, a beep sounded in Xia Qingtian's mind, and the events that occurred before and after the college entrance examination in her past life unfolded before her like scenes from a movie.
Xia Qingtian learned that before Song Junhan came to the Xia family that day, he had just applied for startup funding from Xia Corporation and soon made his first pot of gold with it.
Seeing the benefits of having money, Song Junhan naturally didn't want to live a poor life anymore. Therefore, when his project encountered problems later, and his partner, with a flawed contract, schemed against him, he consequently schemed against Xia Qingtian.
He planned to break her leg, take care of her under the guise of being her "fiancé," and control her, claiming it was to care for her that he gave up his own career, but in reality, his greedy eyes were set on Xia Corporation.
Xia Qingtian remembered that Song Junhan often used this incident to gaslight her afterward.
At that time, she felt grateful while also feeling guilty, and almost willingly allowed herself to be controlled by Song Junhan.
In the events replayed by the system, Xia Qingtian saw her father, who had aged significantly after her car accident, her Aunt Liu, who cried endlessly and regretted not sending Xia Qingtian to the examination hall, and Xia Qingyu, who could not believe it and only dared to visit her while she slept.
She also saw Song Junhan use reasons like, "The doctor says Qingtian needs 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, in front of Xia Qingtian, he would say, "Qingtian, Uncle Xia must be too busy to visit you… Don't be sad, I'm always here for you, Qingtian…"
The helpless self on the hospital bed, those painful memories flooded her mind. Gradually, the images dimmed, signaling the end of the replay reward.
"Wh-why are you crying?" Her father, who was about to teach Xia Qingtian a lesson, saw her tear-streaked face, as if she had suffered immense injustice, and immediately panicked.
Xia Qingtian regretted it. She should have beaten that scumbag earlier!
System: There was no such option, dear.