Is there some operations where the overall situation was already decided but was counterattacked?

During the college entrance examination, my sister and I were in the same examination room.

I deliberately came out a few minutes later than her. When my father saw me, he pushed my sister aside and walked towards me with a smile on his face.

“My dear daughter, you have worked hard! How did you do in the exam? Will you be able to go to Peking University or Tsinghua University?”

I looked at my sister and my stepmother, and both of their faces turned green.

1

My family owns a mine and my father is the mine owner.

The mine owner is a big, strong man with little education and many women.

My mother was the first wife. During her reign, my father had three wives who were of high rank outside of the family. They all acquired properties such as teahouses and grocery stores. There were countless wives who were not of high rank.

My mother turned a blind eye and said that all men are like that and that all they need to do is bring the money home.

It was not until my father had a concubine who gave birth to a daughter and a son that he became more confident and started to provoke my mother on a daily basis.

She called my mom in the middle of the night and told me that my dad was with her. She mocked my mom for not being able to give birth to a son, saying that the Qin family’s assets would belong to her son sooner or later. Later, many nights, the concubine came to my door directly…

My dad is a real jerk.

Not only did he not chase the other person away, he also said that my mother was stingy and did not have the manners of a first wife.

My father hugged his mistress and went to sleep in the guest room.

My mother was in the bedroom, gritting her teeth in hatred, cursing me under her breath as a vixen, and putting earplugs in my ears.

In my impression, my mother is a compromising person.

All her struggles were defeated by my father’s absolute favoritism.

2

I was in second grade when they divorced.

My mother, a woman who had never worked a day outside the home and who had always attached great importance to the family’s financial power, refused to ask for a penny from my father on the day of the divorce!

My father divorced my mother and then married that woman.

I remember–

The woman threw my and my mother’s belongings out of the house and scattered them all over the street.

Her two children, a daughter who is half a year younger than me and a son who is two years younger than me, were really young and ignorant, jumping all over my and my mother’s clothes…

Spit at us and tell us we deserved it.

My mother took me with her, silently picked up the clothes, put them into woven bags, and then rented a house.

She remained silent for three days, slept for three days, and didn’t shed a tear. Then she found a job selling shoes, saying that she would no longer rely on men and that she wanted to live like a human being!

The woman’s name was Zhang Hong. She liked to come to my mother’s shop and order my mother to get shoes for her to try on. She liked my mother to half-kneel on the ground to help her put shoes on.

My mother, the former original wife, gritted her teeth and served the mistress in order to earn money to support the family.

This matter is not very harmful, but it is extremely insulting.

Every time my mother received Zhang Hong, she would get angry and slam the door and throw things when she got home, complaining about why I was not a boy. If I was a boy, my father would not have abandoned her!

She slammed her hope down on me.

“Ying’er, you must study hard and paint well! Men are unreliable. The only person you can rely on is yourself!”

“You must beat Zhang Hong’s kid! You must make your mother proud!”

“Do you know how much money it costs to support you in painting? Your mother even gave up her dignity and knelt on the ground to put shoes on that vixen! If you can’t make a name for yourself in painting, what’s the point of my sacrifice?”

“How come you only got 98?! If you can’t get 100 in three subjects in the final exam, don’t call me mom!”

“Draw well! I must get first place in the city! I must bring honor to my mother!”…

I am not a talented athlete, nor am I a born academic master. I am under a lot of pressure. All my achievements come from working many times harder than others.

Repeat the questions and draw repeatedly.

When others are playing, sleeping, or being coquettish…

I knew from a young age that my mother’s love for me was not unconditional and that I had to be better than everyone around me.

I am my mother’s source of bragging rights.

When she half-knelt to help Zhang Hong try on shoes, she spoke in a reserved tone, pretending to be calm:

“How’s your daughter doing lately? Is she having trouble with her studies?”

“My daughter got first place in the grade again. Hey, go back and tell your daughter that if she encounters any questions she doesn’t understand, she can ask her! We are in the same grade and sisters, so my daughter will definitely be generous and helpful!”…

My mother is not well educated, so she had to look up the phrase “please feel free to give me your advice” in a book, and she said it slowly and with emphasis.

After I got home that day, my mother laughed three times, rewarded me with a big chicken leg, and said that her face turned green with anger.

I was very happy that I finally helped my mother get back on track.

3

What’s the point of turning the tables?

What’s hanging around our necks is money!

During the six years of elementary school, we moved three times: from a self-built villa to a two-bedroom apartment, to a one-bedroom apartment, and then to an even worse one-bedroom apartment.

Reality is a huge slap in the face.

My mother overestimated her abilities, and her toughness during the divorce soon turned into bitterness. Her “salary + commission” as a salesperson was not enough for her to live a decent life.

Food, clothing, housing and transportation cost money, teaching and supplementary fees cost money, being sick and hospitalized cost money, honoring the elderly during festivals and holidays cost money, and learning painting is a bottomless pit…

My mother’s temper became worse and worse due to overwork and anxiety caused by poverty.

Her eyebrows were always furrowed, and the “川” character between her eyebrows was getting deeper and deeper. She would often throw dishcloths or plastic cups and say that I was wasting money.

I was too scared to say a word at home and told my mother several times that I didn’t want to learn painting anymore. She scolded me, saying that I had no future and that if I gave up, all the money I had spent would be wasted.

I gritted my teeth and persevered.

I want to escape.

I don’t know when this life will end…

I don’t know why she has to pretend to be rich…

Why should I bear the consequences of their failed marriage?

4

until–

Fifth grade of primary school.

My mother has acute appendicitis and needs surgery.

It was me who ran around the hospital to pay the money and get the medicine, and it was also me who signed the consent form for the surgery.

Our family was so poor that my mother asked the doctor if it was possible to skip anesthesia. The doctor said no.

I went to see my dad secretly.

My dad was playing cards in a room filled with smoke and filled with men and women.

“Dad, my mom is sick. She has appendicitis and needs surgery.”

“Tell her to take good care of herself.” My father smoked a cigarette and casually grabbed a handful of money from the table and handed it to me, “You hire a nurse for her.”

I estimated that the money my father gave me was around 3,000, which was enough to solve our immediate problem and even had some left over.

I said “um”, “thank you, Dad.”

At this time, others spoke up –

“Old Qin, this is your eldest daughter, right? Qin Ying?”

“Your daughter is amazing! She ranks first in the grade every year! She’s much better than my brat!”

My dad showed a slightly surprised expression, and someone continued—

“Isn’t it? I’m the best in everything I do! I also won the provincial first prize for painting.”

“Ichisan is so good! You are so angry!”…

This was probably the first time my dad heard this.

None of the things my mother said when she was showing off in front of Zhang Hong reached my father’s ears.

My dad then turned around and looked me straight in the eye: “So amazing?”

I didn’t say anything, just nodded.

My dad laughed out loud and boasted to the men and women in the room:

“My genes! Excellent! Low-key!”

I couldn’t help but take a look at the big gold chain around my dad’s neck, wondering if he had some misunderstanding about “low-key”.

“Learning to paint is very expensive. I have long since given up on learning it.” I whispered, “My mother works very hard and is sick from exhaustion.”

My dad laughed again, opened the drawer of the card table, took out a wad of money and put it in my hand:

“My dear daughter, any problem that can be solved with money is not a problem! Dad will pay for your painting studies in the future!”

“Dad pays for the living expenses, too!”

“Your mother is just too stubborn and refuses to take your father’s money!”

He looked me up and down, perhaps irritated by my low-quality clothes and pants, and opened the drawer again, took out a wad of money and put it in my hand:

“Let’s go to the mall and buy some nice clothes. As the daughter of Qin Baiwan, I should dress up beautifully!”

I was holding more than 20,000 yuan.

For the first time, I truly realized that good grades and excellence can be converted into money.

5

I went to the hospital to pay the hospital bill first, and my mother was still sleeping.

Then I went to the supermarket and bought a thermos bucket, half a chicken, and a pound of mushrooms. I came home and stewed them on the stove. Then I washed the rice, cooked it, and reviewed my homework.

After the chicken was cooked, I packed the food into compartments and took the bus to the hospital.

6

My mother is an extremely perceptive person.

From the moment I entered the ward to the moment I placed the thermos in front of her and opened it, my mother asked five questions in a row:

“Why did you buy a thermos? Don’t you have any money left?”

“What’s stewing? Chicken? What qualifications do you have to buy chicken?! I can’t even bear to use anesthesia, and you actually bought chicken! Do you know how hard it is to make money?!”

I was silent.

I am not a good liar, let alone one who lies to my mother.

I had more than 20,000 yuan in my arms, struggling between “saying” and “not saying”.

When my mother saw me like this, she spoke in a bad tone, with suspicion on her face:

“Did you go to see your dad? Did you ask him for money? Huh?!”

Her voice was distorted with anger when she said the last sentence.

She stared at me like a female animal.

I didn’t dare look into her eyes. I just lowered my head, scooped a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and passed it to her mouth. I gritted my teeth and said:

“Mom, you just had surgery and need to replenish your body. Our family is…”

I didn’t finish my words.

My mother raised her hand and knocked the spoon away with a “bang”, and the soup spilled all over the small table and bed sheets.

“How many times have I told you that even if I die of poverty, exhaustion, or starvation, I will never ask your father for a penny!”

My mother’s chest was heaving violently. She clenched her fists tightly, trying hard to control the urge to smash the thermos. I saw a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.

I sat on the edge of the bed, took a deep breath, and looked at her steadily—

“Mom, I know you have guts! You want to prove that you don’t need to rely on men! You’ve already done it! You raised me up like this, and I’m so outstanding, way better than Qin Xue!”

“But, Mom, don’t forget that the law stipulates that both parents have the obligation to raise their children!”

“You and my dad gave birth to me, so he should raise me! Why should you raise me alone? He works so hard to feed me, clothe me, send me to school, and even pay for my interest classes! And he’s just taking it easy, hugging his concubine, playing mahjong, and raising other people’s children!”

“To put it bluntly, even if you worked yourself to death to raise me, I still have the obligation to support him when he gets old! Do you want him to get this for free?”

…

My mother was silent.

She had never thought about this problem. Since her divorce, she had been fighting for nothing but a breath of air.

Everyone in the ward advised her, gave countless examples, and appealed to her logic and emotion. The core idea was only one: Don’t let that scumbag get away with it!

Seeing that she was moved, I picked up the spoon, washed it and handed it to her.

7

People!

Sometimes, once you get out of a dead end, everything becomes clear!

What my mother lacks most is money, and what my father lacks least is also money.

After 20,000 yuan, my mother’s anxiety was mostly relieved. In her opinion, the worst case scenario was that she would have to ask my father for money.

Zhang Hong went to the store to buy shoes from my mother again, and my mother no longer put herself in a difficult position.

Zhang Hong takes whatever shoes she likes.

only–

Sorry, I won’t do this kind of thing where you have to half-kneel to put on your shoes!

“What’s your attitude? Which salesperson doesn’t allow people to wear shoes? Believe it or not, I will ask the boss to fire you!” Zhang Hong slammed the stool and shouted.

“Ms. Zhang, you have tried on 25 pairs of shoes! I seriously doubt that you can’t afford them!” My mother leaned against the shoe rack, looking like it was up to you to buy them or not.

As the financial sponsor, Zhang Hong is used to being flattered by the salesmen. How could she tolerate such idleness?

He waved his hand towards the ground:

“Pack up all the ones I just tried!”

My mother smiled and said “Thank you for your patronage”, then she quickly calculated the bill with a calculator.

“I can give you 25% off for 25 pairs. Do you want it?”

“What’s the meaning?”

“I’m afraid that the discount will damage your image as a rich woman! If others tell others, they will think you bought so much just to get a bargain!”

Zhang Hong’s expression twisted for a moment.

My mother laughed out loud when she told me this story.

I haven’t seen her smile like this in a long time.

I asked her, “Did it get a discount in the end?”

My mother said, “She beat me. She’s not stupid, she’s not unhappy.”

8

Isn’t that stupid?

I don’t think so.

If she wasn’t stupid, she wouldn’t force her daughter to learn painting in an attempt to surpass me.

I started learning in kindergarten and Qin Xue started in fifth grade, so our foundations are incomparable.

What’s more, I love painting.

Diligence comes from interest, but more importantly, it comes from survival.

And Qin Xue, from the moment she picked up the paintbrush, was full of rebellion.

Zhang Hong sent her daughter to this field basically to slap me in the face.

In the same painting competition, I easily made it to the provincial competition, but she couldn’t even pass the institutional selection.

What’s more, when it comes to academic performance, in elementary school, first and second grades are on par, third and fourth grades are polarized, and fifth and sixth grades are worlds apart, with a huge gap between good and poor grades.

Qin Xue had to bear two huge pressures: school performance and painting.

If she hadn’t taken advantage of the break time or lunch break to throw my schoolbag from the fourth floor, spit into my water cup, steal my review materials, and pay classmates to beat me up…

Every time I see her looking at me with resentment, I almost feel sympathy for her!

As an older sister, I couldn’t just watch my sister go astray, so I told the teacher about her behavior, hoping that the teacher could help her.

The teacher used his magic weapon and invited the parents once, twice, and three times.

My dad was a very face-conscious person and had never been there, so every time Zhang Hong went to school she would be scolded.

Once, I took the test paper to the Chinese office and Zhang Hong was there.

“I promise, there won’t be a next time! I will teach Qin Xue a lesson… Yes, morality is more important than grades…”

I lowered my head and curled my lips.

Oh, morality…

What kind of morality is this person who knows three things and does three things?!

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Zhang Hong looking at me hatefully. I put down the paper, pretended not to know her, and turned around and walked out.

At this moment, I know clearly:

Only with good grades can you stand out! Only with good enough grades can you do whatever you want in a limited environment!

9

As for Qin You, my half-brother, he is even more miserable than Qin Xue.

Ever since my dad found out that I was top of the grade, every time he heard that there was a parent-teacher meeting at school, he would dress up, drive his Mercedes-Benz, and polish his gold necklace until it shines.

He stood at the back of our classroom, with his head held high, his belly sticking out, his hands crossed behind his waist, and smiling like Maitreya Buddha.

My mother sat upright in my seat, reserved and proud.

Zhang Hong suffered a lot——

One person attended a parent-teacher meeting for two children, running up and down the stairs.

Unfortunately, both of them had poor grades and had to stay behind to discuss privately.

Every time my mother holds a parent-teacher meeting, she always speaks in a very Western way.

“Your dad is so proud today, he’s afraid that others don’t know that he’s a top student dad!”

“That vixen, after the parents’ meeting, she grabbed her kid’s ears and scolded him for being unpromising! Your dad walked by them and pretended not to see anything.”

“Hmph, what’s wrong with giving birth to a son? I’d rather give birth to a daughter!”

“Yingying, you have to work hard! Go to a good university and make your dad regret it!”…

I don’t know if my dad will regret it.

But I know that my mother cares about that family.

She lost to Zhang Hong in the competition for a man, so she tried her best to surpass Zhang Hong in raising children.

How could Zhang Hong show weakness?

Qin You is my father’s lifeblood, the future heir to the mining industry, and the source of her wealth and glory.

She forced him to study Olympiad mathematics, allegedly in order to cultivate a future entrepreneur.

However, what is Mathematical Olympiad?

It is to let the smart kids expand their thinking, become more confident and smarter the more they learn, while ordinary kids find it difficult to learn, and become more doubtful about their own existence the more they learn.

She successfully made my dad hate studying!

Let me just laugh three times here: Hahaha.

10

In the following years, Qin Xue and Qin You were always at the bottom of the list.

Fortunately, my father was rich, and he paid a high price to get them into the best schools, and hired local famous teachers to give them individual tutoring and provide them with a good escort.

Stumbled my way to high school.

Qin Xue is good-looking and knows how to dress up. She is a school beauty. No matter where she goes, she is the center of attention among the boys.

I have very few interests. Apart from reading, I paint.

Some people also wrote me love letters, which I folded up and put into a tin box when I got home. I never replied to any of them, but I remember who they were.

I also know that they will become Qin Xue’s good friends soon!

Qin Xue not only reaped the boys who liked me, but also reaped the friends who were on good terms with me.

She is sweet-talking, pretty and generous.

At that time, I was just a 17 or 18-year-old girl. It was impossible for me to not care at all. What I could do was to constantly remind myself:

unimportant!

You can’t date in high school.

People have limited energy. I am not a talented player and cannot waste my time on such things.

In a person’s life, the friends around him are like the process of sifting through the sand, and only those who remain are gold.

11

Three years of high school.

I was silent and she was dazzling.

I often have the illusion that all her flowering periods in her life have accumulated enough energy to bloom at that time.

12

On the day of the college entrance examination, Qin Xue and I were in the same examination room.

My father, like millions of other ordinary parents in the world, was standing outside the examination room waiting.

I deliberately came out a few minutes later than Qin Xue, saw my mother at a glance, and walked towards her.

Looking not far away, my father was standing with that family, wiping Qin Xue’s sweat and handing her water.

I smiled over there.

When my father saw me, he pushed Qin Xue away and walked towards me with a smile on his face.

The same action of wiping sweat and handing water.

Different style, my dad’s voice is like a bell:

“My dear daughter, how did you do in the exam? You should be able to go to Peking University or Tsinghua University, right? Daddy will host a celebration party for you!”

Countless pairs of eyes looked over with unspeakable expressions.

I was silent. My dad’s habit of showing off…

Also, for more than ten years, I have won so many awards for painting, but my dad doesn’t even know where I want to apply to…

“Dad, keep a low profile.” I whispered, pinching my dad’s arm.

“Okay, keep a low profile and listen to my daughter!” My father’s old face smiled like a big flower, and his voice became much softer. “Daughter, Tsinghua or Peking University, have you decided which one to go to?”

“Dad, do you really think getting into Peking University or Tsinghua University is as easy as picking cabbages? I’m going to the Academy of Fine Arts.”

“Art Academy?! What does an art academy do?”

…

I tightened my cheeks and answered my father’s question in a good-tempered manner.

I glanced at Qin Xue and the others, and saw that all three of their faces were green.

13

The day I received the admission letter.

My dad drank a lot of wine and stayed at my mom’s house, dancing and gesticulating:

“I’m a rough guy, but I gave birth to a daughter who is a top student. Oh, I’m so proud!”

Later, he was so drunk that he fell asleep on the sofa.

The snoring sounds were long and short, and occasionally stopped abruptly, as if he couldn’t catch his breath.

I was afraid something might happen to him, so I checked on him several times.

My mother didn’t take it seriously: “Don’t worry, it’s been like this for so many years.”

14

Three days later, my dad held a celebration party for me.

He booked an entire floor in the most luxurious five-star hotel in the area.

From the hotel entrance to the banquet hall, there were huge spray-painted boards, huge banners, countless standees and balloons, and my name and the name of my university everywhere, making the wedding banquet on the first floor look dull in contrast.

Wherever I went, I heard whispers:

“They drove a convoy here this morning, all in luxury cars!”

“So rich! A graduation party, I wish the whole city knew about it!”

“Qin Baiwan’s eldest daughter, the eldest princess! The one who kicked her out before gave birth to her, and the one who came after gave birth to two poor students.”

“Qin Baiwan is very satisfied with this daughter. Maybe the original wife will return to her position! This wealthy family is always changing. It’s hard to tell.”…

I listened silently.

I once asked my mother whether I should return to my original place or not.

——”If my dad changes his mind and wants to remarry you, what will you do?”

——”Repeat! I’m not a vegetable from the market. He can take me if he wants and throw me away if he doesn’t want me! I’m fine living alone!”

I feel relieved.

The one who is worried is Zhang Hong.

That day, she did the stupidest thing in her life.

Just after I finished my speech and thanked all the teachers, relatives and friends for their help, she pushed open the door of the banquet hall –

She is here!

She came dressed up beautifully!

She came gracefully with her daughter who was in the prime of her life, her cool and handsome son, and carrying an exquisite snack box!

Especially Qin Xue, she was wearing the exact same skirt and bun as me.

The difference is that I wore white sneakers and glasses, just like an ordinary student girl, while she wore light gold eye makeup and high heels, and was as beautiful as a princess.

The moment my mother saw them, her face turned pale.

My mother also dressed up specially. She started taking care of her face many days in advance, applying facial masks and so on. She also chose clothes and accessories again and again. She even went to the barber shop to do her hair and asked someone to do her makeup on the same day.

However, years of hard work, the erosion of the skin and hair by oil smoke, people’s anxiety about life, lack of love, endocrine disorders… all of these will accumulate on a person’s appearance, which is very different from a life of luxury.

“She’s here to challenge us, right?” My mother walked towards me.

I could feel her nervousness. The other person’s aura was too strong. Her body was a little tense and she secretly pulled my hand.

My fingertips are cold.

In a flash, I remembered when I was 8 years old, my mother and I’s things were thrown out of the house and scattered all over the ground; I remembered my mother taking me with her like a stray dog, putting my things into a woven bag one by one; I remembered my mother half-kneeling on the ground to help that person put on shoes for money…

Everything in the past is a nightmare.

A thought suddenly popped into my mind: It turns out that, unknowingly, I have become my mother’s support.

I took her arm, put my lips close to her ear, and blurted out:

“Mom, don’t be afraid!”

15

The banquet hall fell silent unconsciously.

Everyone was looking at us. Some people took out their cell phones and pointed the cameras at us, waiting for the fight to break out with the mine owner’s family.

Zhang Hong and her son were being watched by everyone. They were proud, with their chins held high like the invincible Dugu Qiubai, and walked in front of us with the momentum of walking on the red carpet.

“Congratulations, Sister Zhou.”

Zhang Hong had a big smile on her face. She looked at me and then her gaze fell on my mother again.

“Giving birth to such a wonderful daughter is such a great honor to you! You didn’t even bother to post a message for such a great event today. Are you afraid that I’ll steal your limelight?”

That’s right…

Especially the last sentence, which has the style of Wang Xifeng in the 1987 version of “Dream of Red Mansions”. The voice is clear and bright, and very penetrating.

My mother was not prepared in advance, and she opened her mouth to defend herself.

Zhang Hong changed her tone, her voice and gesture became gentle, and she said to my dad in a coquettish tone:

“Lao Qin, you are such a fool! Sister Zhou is ignorant, and you let her do what she wants? People who don’t know would think that we have a bad relationship!”

She emphasized the word “couple” and looked at my mother proudly, making it clear that she was the principal wife.

My mother bit her cheek and looked at my father.

Zhang Hong is a typical example of someone who pretends to be ignorant despite knowing the truth. There were more than 40 tables of guests at today’s celebration banquet, and my mother only invited 2 tables, while the rest were invited by my father.

My dad didn’t look very good either.

He didn’t want to make fun of others, so he said, “Well, since you’re here, just sit down!”

Zhang Hong immediately stepped forward, twisted her big butt, pushed my mom away, and delicately took my dad’s arm, demonstrating with her own actions what it means to be like a little bird depending on your man.

Qin Xue stood beside me, looking me up and down with a scrutinizing gaze, sneering softly:

“How dare you dress the same as me? Why don’t you take a piss and look at yourself? You’re so ugly that you look like a chicken in anything! No wonder the boys who liked you ended up liking me!”

Coincidentally, the microphone is in my hand.

What’s even more coincidental is that when Qin Xue said the first word, I accidentally turned on the microphone.

Her voice traveled through the speakers to the ears of everyone attending the party.

Before anyone could even start to complain, I had already started talking:

“Where’s your face? Didn’t your mother teach you that it’s impolite to steal the show? You came in at a precise time and deliberately wore the same clothes as the main character of the thank-you banquet. Is that your manners?”

“Most of the elders present here today were invited by my father. Do you know why he didn’t inform you, his second daughter?”

I paused deliberately and smiled:

“Because he’s afraid that you’ll feel inferior to him! What a poor student!” I said the last two words very lightly and sarcastically.

“During the three years of high school, everyone was studying hard and pursuing a career, but you were the only one who spared no effort to learn how to flirt and how to steal men…”

As I spoke, I gave Zhang Hong a suggestive look.

All the guests showed understanding expressions. At that time, Zhang Hong’s rise to power was a hot gossip in our small city.

No matter how thick-skinned Zhang Hong was, she couldn’t hold it back at this moment.

She called Qin Xue’s name in a low voice, signaling Qin Xue not to speak and to sit down quickly.

Qin Xue hurriedly walked to the other side of my dad and sat on both sides of my dad with Zhang Hong, one on the left and one on the right.

My dad frowned.

First he said to Qin Xue: “Get out of the way! This is your sister’s seat.”

Then to Zhang Hong: “You also step aside, don’t you know who the protagonist is today?”

The two of them moved aside in disappointment.

16

If this matter ended here, everything would be fine.

Unfortunately, Zhang Hong is too greedy. Not only does she want my mother and I to lose face, she also wants us to suffer a real loss.

In front of everyone, she pushed the food box she brought in front of me, saying that she had made it for me personally to celebrate my admission to my ideal university, and asked me and my mother to try it.

He also said to eat it while hot, and just asked the waiter to heat it in the microwave.

I opened the box and saw two pastries inside: red, plum blossom-shaped, with rose petals and cranberries on them.

“Just a little thought. Yingying, try it!”

Zhang Hong looked at me eagerly and said cheerfully,

“Ask your mom to have some too! Aunt Zhang was ignorant in the past and may have offended you, but don’t take it personally! Consider these two small cakes Aunt Zhang’s apology to you!”

Isn’t this the weasel wishing the chicken a happy new year?

Eating means that all past grudges are written off;

Not eating it shows that you are not generous and is a typical case of moral kidnapping.

I thought about it and looked at Qin Xue and Qin You. I saw that Qin Xue’s face was full of anticipation, while Qin You’s face was full of ridicule.

I wiped my hands with disinfectant tissue, picked up one of the cakes, and handed it directly to my dad’s mouth, saying sweetly:

“Dad, you played a big role in my admission to university! I’ll just give you this piece of cake as a token of my appreciation!”

My dad was so happy that he pointed at me and showed off to everyone:

“My eldest daughter is filial!”

Everyone applauded.

My dad opened his mouth and took a bite—

The expressions of Zhang Hong, her mother and her two sons were simply a scene of a major car crash!

At the same time, I smelled a foul stench coming from my father’s mouth. He also realized that something was wrong. He frowned, opened his mouth, and vomited violently.

The waiter was busy serving water.

My father gargled and pounded his fist on the table. He no longer cared whether the guests would laugh at him or not and yelled at Zhang Hong:

“What the hell did you put in there?”

The cup filled with tea was thrown at Zhang Hong’s head.

Zhang Hong felt guilty and didn’t dare to dodge. She closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and took the blow from my father.

The tea wet her face, hair and clothes.

My father was not satisfied, so he grabbed what he had just vomited and threw it at Zhang Hong’s face. Then he threw the remaining cakes at Zhang Hong’s face.

Zhang Hong still didn’t dare to hide.

She depended on my dad and had no survival skills. The person she was most afraid of offending was my dad, so she had to endure it all.

In a moment, her face and body were covered in dirt and smelled foul.

Everyone around was covering their noses and whispering, “Is this smell shit?”

My dad can smell better than other people. He not only has the experience of smell, but also the experience of taste. How could he not have judgment?

After hearing what the other person said, he felt even more embarrassed. He tried his best to control the urge to hit someone. Veins bulged on his forehead and back of his hands, and every word came out from between his teeth:

“You’re tired of living! Get out! I don’t want to see you!”

The word “get out” came out like the roar of a wild beast.

I sat next to him and my eardrums hurt.

I gritted my teeth and didn’t move. I didn’t pretend to be an ungrateful person and just put one hand on the back of my mother’s hand, pressing it soothingly.

Qin Xue and Qin You were so scared that they were shaking all over like sieves.

Zhang Hong burst into tears.

“Honey, I know I was wrong!” she spoke first.

She was also bold enough to stand up in front of everyone, then kneel down in front of my father and walk a few steps on her knees.

“I really know I was wrong! Brother Qin, I was confused for a moment, please forgive me!”

She pulled the clothes of Qin Xue and Qin You behind her, wanting them to plead for her.

Qin Xue lived up to Zhang Hong’s expectations and stood up:

“Dad, please forgive Mom this time! She was just too anxious and confused, afraid that you only loved your sister and not us.”

Qin You followed closely behind. He was taller than Qin Xue and his voice was particularly loud:

“Yes, it was my sister’s idea to cover up the dog shit. She was jealous of Qin Ying and wanted to teach her a lesson. Mom agreed without even thinking.”

Qin Xue was already trembling, and upon hearing this, her face turned red, her eyes were flustered, and she stammered, “No, no, it’s not me, I didn’t… It’s all Qin…”

Before she finished her words, Qin You interrupted her loudly: “Why not you?! If it wasn’t for you to vent your anger, would we have kneaded dough and played with dog shit?!”

As he spoke, he glared at Qin Xue fiercely, with a warning look in his eyes.

Qin Xue actually fell silent!

At this moment, my mood is complicated.

For a long time, I didn’t pay much attention to Qin You, just treating him as a child, but I didn’t expect –

Qin Xue, who was so arrogant and domineering, was so frightened by his look that she dared not say a word.

Zhang Hong found a life-saving straw again, pulled Qin You over, and begged my dad:

“Brother Qin, for the sake of our son, please forgive me! I know I was wrong, and you can punish me however you want!”

“Get lost!” My dad’s face was full of impatience, “Don’t think that having a son is a big deal! There are many women who want to give birth to sons for me!”

As he spoke, my father inadvertently glanced at a table not far away.

All the people sitting at that table were women. Two or three of them were about the same age as Zhang Hong, and the youngest was not much older than me. Some were pregnant, and some were carrying children.

I looked towards my mother.

My mother nodded calmly.

Yes, they are all raised by my father outside, and their number is increasing.

“Dad…” Qin You wanted to say something.

“Get out!” My dad slammed the table again and glared at them, “Get out of here! I’m going to divorce your mother tomorrow!”

The three men left.

They came as proud as peacocks and left as miserable as stray dogs.

17

It was a great celebration banquet, but it was ruined by Zhang Hong and her son.

My father couldn’t eat a single bite of the food. He had a dark face, sat with his legs spread out, and his chest heaving violently.

“Dad…” I whispered to him and leaned towards him, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know…”

I really don’t know.

Although I guessed that there was something wrong with the pastry, I never dreamed that it was filled with dog shit.

My father had an indescribable expression on his face, his chin raised, his face full of black lines, pretending to be strong.

I glanced around and saw that many of the guests were fiddling with their phones. I guessed they were sending videos or chatting, sharing the farce in Qin Baiwan’s family with their friends.

“Yingying.” My mother called my name softly, her eyes full of worry, “Will it be bad for you?”

“It’s okay.” I smiled and shook my head, pretending to be magnanimous, “My younger brothers and sisters are immature, and as their elder sister, I should be more tolerant and not care.”

My dad turned his head and looked at me, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself, as if he wanted to say that of course I could not care, it was not me who was eating dog shit.

I gritted my teeth to hold back my laughter, lowered my head, and sucked my cheeks to hold back my laughter.

I don’t sympathize with my father. It’s not easy to enjoy the happiness of having three wives and four concubines!

Many years ago,

My mother and I were kicked out of the house, and now it’s Zhang Hong and her son’s turn.

As the saying goes, “Feng Shui turns around”,

No, it’s “Good and evil will be rewarded in the end.”

18

In the Internet age, news seems to have wings.

Within the time it takes for lunch, the video of “Qin Baiwan eating dog shit” has become a local hot topic. The first most popular person to emerge is Qin Xue, and the second is my dad.

“She deliberately wore the same clothes as the main character at the celebration party. Have you seen too many vicious female supporting roles?”

“Food with dog shit, that’s beyond imagination! How bad must that little girl be, she’s no wonder she was taught by the mistress in a higher position!”

“To be honest, my sister is really pretty! She deserves it. With so many customers, she actually said that my sister was flirting. If I were my sister, I would kill her!”

“Isn’t this Qin Xue? She always snatches Qin Ying’s things at school. As long as there is a boy who likes Qin Ying, she will snatch them away!… She is a poor student and is not on the same level as Qin Ying.”

“I was in the same class with Qin Xue in junior high school. I saw her throw her sister’s schoolbag from the fourth floor and bring little gangsters to attack her sister. She was so mean!”

“A millionaire eats dog shit. How much psychological trauma does Qin Baiwan have?”

“My brother is the one who has no brains! It’s a pity for those sharp eyes. If he didn’t call it shit, who would know it was shit?”

…

There is a lot of discussion online.

For several days in a row, I received phone calls every day, mostly from classmates. 80% of the topics were asking me about the banquet that day. They said that Qin Xue was now socially doomed.

I try not to discuss:

First, they don’t have that much time to satisfy their desire for gossip;

Second, in today’s society, as long as you are thick-skinned enough, what does it matter if you die in society?

After that day, Qin Xue, her mother and her two sons continued to eat, drink and travel.

19

This summer vacation——

Most of the classmates are busy partying, traveling, and talking to each other.

I don’t have many friends. We only get together occasionally and spend most of our time painting.

Sketch from life, or set up a stall in the park and draw portraits of passers-by.

I am not short of money for the time being. I use all the money I earn to buy painting supplies and send them to orphanages. I also make some friends.

This summer vacation——

My father and Zhang Hong did not divorce in the end.

My mother, an ex-wife and a divorcee, follows their marital developments with great enthusiasm.

“Why hasn’t your dad left yet? I heard he went to live with that little vixen!”

“During this period, the fight between the big and small vixens is fierce, more exciting than a TV drama!”

My mother talked for a long time, and I asked her:

“How do you know?”

“Of course, those who have fallen out of favor told me that. They saw that you were favored, so they all came to curry favor with me.”

I made a “tsk” sound and suggested to her that it was okay for her to listen to gossip but she shouldn’t give any advice to anyone, lest she end up getting into trouble.

Also, keep your distance from my dad and don’t let him hinder you.

This summer vacation——

I heard that Qin Xue was admitted to a technical college.

Unfortunately, he and I are in the same city.

Same major.

20

A big city, much bigger than my hometown.

Skyscrapers lined up one after another, nightclubs that rival palaces, cutting-edge international luxury goods, and a steady stream of multi-million-dollar sports cars… none of these are available in our hometown.

A rich man like my dad is probably just above middle class in this city.

There are students in our school who drive sports cars to school.

I had no intention of competing with others, but under the influence of my roommate, I took off my framed glasses, put on contact lenses, put on lipstick for the first time, and wore high heels for the first time…

Some people say that going to college is like plastic surgery.

I don’t know about other people, but at least I have really changed. One time, my roommates accidentally saw a video of me at a celebration party.

“Do these people have good taste? The elder sister is obviously prettier!”

“You can’t blame them. How many people can see those sparkling eyes through the black frame? Yingying had just graduated from high school. She looked like a good girl who only focused on studying. Look how she got bullied by her sister.”

“Luckily, you still know how to fight back, otherwise we wouldn’t recognize you as our friend!”

…

As for my profession, I dare not slack off for even a second.

When I was a child, I studied hard and painted hard, because I knew that everything I wanted, whether it was dignity or the right to live, had to depend on myself.

My biggest feeling in this school is that those who are richer than you are often not only better than you, but also more hardworking than you!

Back then, when I was studying painting in an institution, many of them hired private tutors, university professors, or directly apprenticed to famous painters. Their understanding of painting was incomparable.

I am not a talented player, I need to work a hundred times harder to make up for the gap.

During my four years in college, I didn’t know what it felt like to be in love, but I knew how quiet the campus was at three in the morning, with swaying shadows of the trees and moonlight shining all over the ground.

But I know that at five o’clock in the morning, the campus is shrouded in morning light, the sky gradually brightens, the clouds are magnificent, and every second is breathtakingly beautiful.

twenty one

Qin Xue started looking for me in my senior year.

At that time, I was going through the process of being admitted to graduate school, while she had already graduated and opened a gallery, selling paintings and teaching children to paint.

She said she realized that she was wrong.

All her arrogance and targeting of me are due to her mother’s wrong values.

She always thought that my father and her mother were in true love, and that the one without love was the third party. I was the child of the third party, and her mother compared me to her every day and scolded her for not living up to her expectations…

So, she dislikes me in every way.

I hope I can forgive her, forgive this ignorant girl who was harmed by her original family.

She said, after so many years, looking back now, she found that the person she admires the most is still me.

She said that she learned a truth from me: only seriousness and persistence can make life shine.

She often asked me how to paint, sometimes she would send me photos via WeChat, and sometimes she would come in person with her new works.

As long as I’m not busy, I’ll give you some pointers.

The weakness of human nature!

First, my vanity was indeed satisfied, and my nature of wanting to teach others was exposed at this time;

Second, Bibibi’s childhood is not only her pain, but also my pain.

We were all derivatives of our mother’s desires, and after many years, we finally touched ourselves.

twenty two

Later, that incident happened in my second year of graduate school.

At that time, I was considered a rising star in the circle. I had won some awards of varying sizes and had my own studio in the suburbs.

When I’m not in class, I’m in the studio.

I know that Qin Xue used my name as a living signboard for her gallery, saying that she is the biological sister of the painter Qin Ying.

I have no objection.

“Sister, where are you? You don’t have classes today, right?”

“I drew a picture, but it doesn’t look right. If you have time, could you help me take a look?”

When Qin Xue talks to me now, she always uses respectful titles.

I agreed and asked her to meet me in the studio.

twenty three

Half an hour later.

Qin Xue came to my studio with a painting in one hand and a bag of coffee in the other.

I took the painting, looked at it as I walked, and put it on the easel in front of the window, where the sunlight was the best. Then I took the coffee she handed me and took a sip.

“Sister, what do you think?” She stood by.

“The composition is OK, the colors are OK, the aesthetic taste is there, it’s much better than before.” I paused, “It’s a pity that the artistic conception is a bit lacking. It can be sold for a few thousand yuan in a gallery, and if it’s better than that…”

Before I could finish my words, I felt dizzy and turned around to see Qin Xue’s face full of ferocity.

It can only be this cup of coffee!

What did she put in? What did she want to do?

I subconsciously ran towards the table where my phone was placed. I had to call the police, I had to call 110! But I was so dizzy and my steps were unsteady that I knocked over several easels and picture frames on the way.

She followed me leisurely, sneering from time to time, like a cat playing with a mouse.

I was very nervous.

Just as he was about to grab the phone, there was a “bang” and a dull pain came from the back of his head, and the picture frame shattered into pieces.

I fell to the ground, my consciousness quickly fading.

“Idiot!”

Qin Xue’s voice came from above, accompanied by her high heels kicking me in the face and body wildly.

Bang, bang, bang…

“I’ve been your bootlicker for so many years, and now it’s over!”

“Why did you have to learn painting when you could learn something else? I have to learn it myself! It’s so annoying!”…

My consciousness was fading, her voice went from shrill to vague, and the pain became duller and duller, until –

The paint scraper plunged hard into my cheek and pulled downward.

The pain is unspeakable.

I heard her laughing wildly.

“Hahaha, I hate your face just by looking at it… Why do so many men like you?!”

A sticky liquid flowed down my cheeks and neck, smelling as strong as blood, and physiological tears flowed out madly.

She laughed even more wildly, picked up an oil painting brush from the ground and pointed it at my eyes.

I was terrified beyond measure.

I am more afraid of going blind than dying. I shiver.

I regret…

“Sister, stop playing! Someone is coming!” A voice that sounded like Qin You came from the door.

Qin Xue snorted and threw me down with a bang.

Before leaving, she set a fire and the studio was engulfed in flames.

twenty four

The Yellow Spring Road. Lycoris radiata blooms to its fullest.

The lonely soul has nowhere to go.

25

One year later.

I stood in front of a tomb in Xishan Cemetery.

My name was engraved on the tombstone, and I placed a daisy in front of it.

——”Qin Ying, what are your plans?”

The person who asked me is the one who saved me, Ran Qiang is a plastic surgeon.

She has a boyfriend named Yan Yun, who is a surgeon. I have known him for many years and he is also my neighbor across the street from my studio.

They just came back when I had the accident.

When Qin You said “someone is coming”, he was referring to them.

They worked together to rescue me and put a human skeleton in.

When the fire brigade arrived and put out the fire, what they carried out from the rubble was the skeleton…

——”I wandered the Yellow Springs Road for a year, and saw the Lycoris radiata blossoming like flames, boundless, and saw the Hell was empty.”

——”Yan Luo came to me and asked me to send the devil to where he should go. I agreed.”

After the accident, the first people to arrive at the scene were Qin Xue, then Qin You, and finally my father and mother.

My mother was completely paralyzed.

For many years, I have been her spiritual support. Now that I am gone, she has lost the desire to live.

My funeral arrangements will be handled by my father.

My father is a well-known figure in our local area. Many things depend on relationships and favors. But when he arrived in the big city and everything went according to procedures, he got scared.

He explained the matter to Qin Xue and Qin You.

No one questioned the cause of my death. Qin Xue and her brother put all their heart and soul into handling my funeral in a grand manner.

There are posts in the school forum paying tribute to me, and a lot of them are being built.

Countless self-media on the Internet are bragging about my paintings, saying that I am a talented painter and my painting skills are amazing. It is a pity that I have passed away at such a young age.

Just at this time, someone spent one million to buy my painting that was about to be exhibited in an international competition.

It was just an unfinished sketch.

After that, the prices of all my paintings skyrocketed, which completely confirmed the curse that “artworks appreciate in value only after the artist’s death.”

Qin Xue, taking advantage of the popularity of “I Die”, also attracted some attention from the self-media.

In this age where “appearance is justice and eyeballs are traffic”, she became a little famous and even became one of the “young painters”.

“I’ve seen her paintings, and their style is very similar to yours,” said Ran Qiang.

“Just imitating others.” I sneered.

I have been coaching Qin Xue for several years and I know her level.

“But your instructor also praised her paintings.” Ran Qiang spoke with some caution, and said slowly, “It is said that the disciple is better than the master.”

Now it was my turn to be surprised, this was something above me.

My mentor is a top-notch professional, commonly known as the “national team”. His character is absolutely trustworthy and he will not talk nonsense.

Could it be that Qin Xue is the real talented painter? Has she been hiding her talent for many years?

No, it’s not possible.

According to her personality, if she had the ability, she would have shown off to the sky long ago!

“I don’t understand painting, you have to go and see it in person,” said Ran Qiang.

I nodded to show that I understood.

“Oh, there’s something even more difficult.” Ran Qiang paused, “She’s Gu Fei’s girlfriend now. If you want to deal with her, you have to deal with Gu Fei first. I heard that man dotes on her and spends a lot of money to support her.”

Gu Fei?

I don’t know him and I haven’t heard of him.

Ran Qiang looked at me as if I were an alien, and emphasized every word he said:

“My surname is Gu! Gu, one of the four largest families in City A! A famous angel investor! A wealthy bachelor!”

26

It was indeed unexpected that Qin Xue could hook up with Gu Fei.

One is the daughter of a mine owner and a small gallery owner, and the other is a real wealthy family. To put it bluntly, they have crossed two social classes.

When I was looking up Gu Fei’s information online, I saw his photo and inexplicably felt that he looked familiar.

As for Qin Xue, I laughed when I saw her so-called famous work.

That day, she was in my studio, not only did she kill people and set fire to them, she also took away my paintings.

Part of it was used for hype, and the other part became her work.

The painting methods I am trying, which I have never shown to anyone and have not yet completed, are now being displayed on the Internet. As the works of the talented painter Qin Xue, they are sought after by countless people.

Oh, are you still so fond of showing off, regardless of the consequences?

Fame and fortune are a double-edged sword.

Once those borrowed talents are used up, as many people will take advantage of them as there were once people paying attention to them.

27

Big data pushes two messages:

First, Gu Fei plans to invest in the company of Qin Xue’s younger brother Qin You.

There are two opinions in the comments section. Some people say that lust makes people lose their minds. As a gold medal investor, is Gu Fei’s brain stuck in the door? Others say that the investment has been planned for a long time, but it has not been invested, so it is just hanging.

Second, Qin Xue’s new work fan meeting will be held at the end of June, and many industry bigwigs will participate.

The comments section was dominated by “Goddess YYDS”, with occasional comments like “The capital is really amazing. It’s just a few unfinished paintings, but they invited so many famous artists to carry her sedan chair!”

I sent a message to my senior sister: “Senior sister, I am not dead.”

My senior sister called me right away: “Where are you? Why didn’t you contact us? Did you know that after your accident, our teacher was sad for a long time?”

I said, “I have been in the hospital for a year. Senior sister, I want an invitation to Qin Xue’s new work meeting.”

Senior sister is so sharp and delicate: “So, Qin Xue’s painting was indeed drawn by you?”

I laughed: “Were you discovered?”

Senior sister: “She was discovered a long time ago! How can a painter only produce a few half-finished works after a year? And her style is obviously derived from yours! We went to her gallery to check it out, and her level is just so-so!”

Senior Sister: “Only Gu Fei, like someone with a problem, is being praised without any talent! Hey, tell me the truth, was your accident that day related to her?”

Senior Sister: “Does the mentor know that you are alive? Tell him right away. He will be very happy! Where are you? I will come to see you…”

The senior sister spoke like pouring beans, one sentence after another.

After she calmed down, I asked her to keep it a secret for the time being and told her to see me at Qin Xue’s work meeting in a few days.

Senior sister was silent.

“What’s wrong?”

“Look at the group.”

I was busy shrinking the voice call interface.

Fortunately, it is a small group, and the 7 of us, including myself, are all trustworthy.

A group of people asked the senior sister:

“Really?” “Is Qin Ying really alive?” “What do you need us to do? No matter what, we will complete it!” “Don’t worry, it will be kept secret!”…

I quietly tagged Senior Sister: “I never realized you were such a big mouth before!”

The senior sister laughed: “Can’t you hold it in? Now we have more helpers, let’s do something big!”

28

Qin Xue’s new work fan meeting.

Gu Fei really loved her. She had the most luxurious hotel, the most luxurious banquet hall, the country’s top painters, hundreds of media outlets, hundreds of big Vs… countless stands and cameras.

I was wearing a shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap, sitting among a group of big Vs, very low-key.

The group messages kept flashing. The six people seemed to be extremely excited and wanted to send out their coordinates. I could see them looking around with my own eyes.

“I’m here, I’m here, calling headquarters, calling headquarters, is Xiaoying here?”

“I’m here too, Blue B zone, second to last row, 5th from right. Is there anything I can do for you? I’m eager to do something!”

“Fuck, this is so exciting! Just thinking about tearing off Qin Xue’s mask later, and then thinking about President Gu’s absolutely constipated face, I want to sing loudly! Wow!”

I:……

I looked at the scrolling group messages and held my forehead:

“Can you be more serious? Where’s your noble and aloof persona? Hurry up and bring it back! There are so many media outlets, and they’re all about to collapse!”

“We are one family, what kind of persona do we need?!” “Don’t worry, there are so many big guys, no one will pay attention to us.”

29

Three o’clock in the afternoon.

Qin Xue came, and came with Gu Fei.

She held Gu Fei’s arm, and the spotlights kept flashing from the moment they entered the door.

Gu Fei was wearing a grey suit, gold-rimmed glasses, and his hair was combed back. From head to toe, every detail and every pore showed signs of a successful person.

Qin Xue wore a silver dress that was low-cut and backless, with her long hair loosely tied behind her head, and a diamond necklace and earrings that bling-bling. She looked more like a star than a painter.

On both sides of the red carpet, the media kept asking:

“Mr. Gu, when do you and Ms. Qin Xue plan to get married? Do you have any plans to get married?”

“Netizens say that Miss Qin’s talent cannot support her fame, and it’s all thanks to you. What do you think? Is this to accumulate capital for her to marry into a wealthy family?”

“Mr. Gu, you have been planning to invest in Miss Qin’s brother’s company for more than half a year. Are you going to invest or not?”

…

Gu Fei suddenly stopped and looked around the room.

Qin Xue stopped and looked at him shyly, her eyes full of affection, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

Gu Fei smiled, adjusted his glasses, and took the microphone from the reporter:

“First, there is no such thing as a wealthy family. The Gu family has been engaged in business for three generations. They are ordinary people;

Second, whether Xiaoxue has talent or not, and whether she relies on my promotion, you will know when you see her works later, right?

Third, any venture capital investment is not decided by the boss alone. Our company has a professional team that is conducting professional assessments.

Today is a meeting for Ms. Qin Xue’s works. Please pay more attention to her works. Thank you. “

For some reason, I always felt that Gu Fei looked at me twice more.

There was even a moment when my eyes met his briefly. There was thunder and lightning in his eyes, as well as stars all over the sky…

I know who he is!

I’ve met him!

30

At that time——

I went abroad for exchange and was on an international flight.

The flight was too long and I was bored, so I saw a man sitting diagonally in front of me.

He was reading a book, with a young face, beautiful lines, and his hair hanging on his eyelids. The sunlight shone through the porthole, giving him a golden edge.

Especially the spot on the nose, which is the brightest.

I was itching to try my hand at drawing, so I took out a pen and paper and started drawing.

Later, when the plane landed and everyone was packing their bags, he walked toward me.

I was very nervous.

When drawing a portrait, one should get the other person’s permission in advance. I was wrong.

I was young at that time and didn’t want to explain properly. I just wanted to escape, so I took the painting out of the folder, walked over and slapped him on the face.

“I’m giving it to you. I usually charge for it.” He said it in a very arrogant tone and ran away quickly.

He said “Ah——” from behind.

I reflected on this incident later and felt that I handled it so immaturely and impolitely. It is a stain on my life.

31

On the stage, Qin Xue has already begun introducing the work “She and Me”.

The reason I say “she and I” is because the composition is me, the lines are me, the outlining is me, and some of the colors are me. She only did the rest… filling in the colors.

The paintings are in frames, which are on easels, 5 paintings in total.

The photographer held an 8K camera, and Qin Xue told him where to shoot, both the overall picture and the details, all of which were projected onto the huge 8K LCD screen next to it.

It can be said that every detail is visible.

Any flaws in the 16K paper will be a disaster once it is projected on the giant screen!

Not only were the master painters in the front row shaking their heads, but even the less professional big Vs and media around me in the back were whispering to each other.

“How can I write this? Is this the level? Is this just bragging?”

“Gu Fei’s reputation has been ruined by this woman! Believe it or not, everyone will question his investment vision in the future.”

“This painting is really not as good as a half-finished product! I was so amazed at first, but now I am so disappointed!”…

I took a moment to glance at the host’s phone screen next to me, and the following message flashed across my screen:

“The goddess has fallen, let’s mourn the man for three seconds.”

Qin Xue stood on the stage, and she saw the audience’s reaction earlier than anyone else.

She panicked and kept looking at Gu Fei, desperately seeking help from him with her eyes.

I don’t know when Gu Fei had sat down next to my mentor. He leaned back comfortably in the chair, his legs crossed, and watched the performance on the stage leisurely.

I realized…

He knew, he always knew!

He was the one who organized the fan meeting, invited the painters and the media, and arranged the 8K cameras and display screens. He said, “To see if someone has talent, look at their works.” He said, “Pay more attention to their works.”

By the third painting, Qin Xue couldn’t go on any longer. She was trapped on the stage, not knowing what to do.

On the huge screen, the sweat on her forehead was crystal clear and full.

I sent a message: “Cut signal.”

32

The picture on the screen suddenly changed.

Behind the glass window, a woman was drawing. The picture was taken by surveillance camera.

The people around were startled, but soon quieted down, guessing that something big was going to happen. Some mainstream media outlets that had originally turned off their cameras turned them back on.

After a while, the woman left for a few seconds. When she reappeared in the camera, she was holding a painting in one hand and there was another woman following behind her.

She put the painting on the shelf, took the cup handed to her by the woman behind her, and took a sip.

The two seemed to be talking.

Suddenly, the woman shook her head, looked at the woman behind her in surprise, then threw away the cup and rushed to a place not far away.

The woman at the back was leisurely walking, and just when the person in front was about to grab something on the table, she picked up a picture frame and smashed it down.

There was an exclamation at the scene.

On the screen, the woman fell to the ground, and the person who hit her refused to let her go, kicking her body and stepping on her face with his high heels.

The scene was completely silent, and everyone was stunned by the brutality on the screen.

The on-site editor suddenly opened a small window in the upper right corner of the screen, showing Qin Xue standing there blankly with a pale face.

When Qin Xue bent down, picked up the oil painting scraper, and stabbed me hard in the face.

There were exclamations from all around again.

Some people covered their eyes, some people cursed them as “beasts”…

I have actually seen this scene many times, and each time I was filled with hatred. But at this moment, my emotions were like a flood, and I burst into tears.

My mentor and my friends stood up and pointed at Qin Xue indignantly: “Murderer!” “Catch her! She killed Qin Ying!”

Qin Xue was in a panic and the security guards rushed over.

Only Gu Fei——

He stood up and strode towards me.

I didn’t notice him at first, my attention was on Qin Xue. When I noticed him, he had already hugged me.

His chest rose and fell violently, boom, boom, boom.

I didn’t know him well, and I was struggling and trying to push him away.

He said, “A Ying, let me hold you for a while. It took me a long time to find you.”

Sudden feelings.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been alone for too long; maybe it’s because I need a shoulder; maybe it’s because his feelings are too strong and I just can’t bear it…

I let him hold me.

On the screen, Qin Xue grabbed my hair with one hand, picked up the paintbrush, and poked it towards my eyes…

On the screen, she paused and glanced towards the door…

On the screen, she took away my paintings before setting the fire…

33

The police pushed the door open.

Next to him was Qin You, who was already handcuffed.

The law is nothing more than human feelings. They waited at the door of the banquet hall for a long time until the surveillance video was finished.

…

Later, Qin Xue and Qin You were convicted of “attempted murder”.

Later, they fought in prison, one was disfigured and the other was blinded.

Later, Zhang Hong went crazy and lived on the streets. When she was hungry, she even ate dog shit. My mother would occasionally buy her two buns.

Later on, Gu Fei and I fell in love, which is another long story.

A story about “love that comes from nowhere but is ever-lasting”.

In an unknown place, someone was thinking about me.

34 Ending

I never believed in Qin Xue.

I have never forgotten how she brought a group of people to bully me when I was young. My youth, which should have been passionate, became cold because of her.

And Qin You is even more sinister than Qin Xue.

When I was a child, they hated me because I always dominated them. When I grew up, my father made it clear that one third of his property would be given to me.

These two people, as well as Zhang Hong, will not accept this.

I deliberately kept Qin Xue under my nose. One was to understand her movements, and the other was to take advantage of the fact that she wanted to get rid of me and then get rid of her!

I knew the news that Qin You was in this city half a month in advance.

Unfortunately, I saw the message he sent to Qin Xue.

So, when Qin Xue asked me to see paintings, I became more cautious and called Yan Yun just in case.

Yan Yun is my friend for many years. I met him when I was volunteering at an orphanage.

He is a surgeon and has his own laboratory on the outskirts of the city.

I rented a house near his laboratory and converted it into a painting studio.

There is a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, and he can see me from his side. I asked him to install a camera in his room where it can’t be easily seen.

He knew I was hunting, but he didn’t know my detailed plan, let alone that I had underestimated the viciousness of Qin Xue and her brother.

So, when the studio caught fire, his first reaction was to use the existing skeletons in the laboratory as a substitute, and then wait for me to wake up and let me decide what to do.

You all know what happened later.

As for Qin Xue’s use of my paintings to pass them off as her own, whether it was a spur-of-the-moment decision or a long-planned one, it doesn’t matter.

At this point in the story, it is true that I overestimated my own wisdom and almost killed myself, but I have learned a lesson.

Fortunately, the ending was not bad.

It’s God’s blessing.

(End of text)

Gu Fei Extra

My biological sister, Gu Wanwan, said that I was a solo from birth.

I glanced at her sideways, and from the perspective of an elder, I gave her three soul-searching blows:

“Did you study hard today? Did you live up to the rice you ate? Are you in love again?!”

“How old are you? What else can you do besides dating? If I give you half of the company, can you handle it?”

“Is it easy for your brother to work so hard to defend his kingdom? You always criticize your brother every day! Your brother will look for his only soulmate in the vast sea of ​​people. If he finds her, it’s luck; if he doesn’t, it’s fate. That’s all.”

Gu Wanwan leaned on the table, her long wavy hair reaching her waist, she looked lazy and charming, and dressed fashionably, but her tone was even more old-fashioned than that of the old man:

“Gu Fei, stop talking about soulmates all the time! I’m asking you, have you ever been moved in your life?… If your heart hasn’t been moved, what’s the point of talking about soulmates?!”

I narrowed my eyes slightly, not really understanding what it felt like to be heart-thumped.

“It’s just thump, thump.” Gu Wanwan walked towards me, moving her fingers up and down to simulate a heartbeat. “Your heart seems to be beating out, and your mind is full of that person. Try to recall it carefully.”

1

The memory goes back to three years ago——

I saw her as soon as I got on the plane. She was wearing a plain cotton and linen dress, and her long seaweed-like hair was casually draped over her shoulders, making her face look very small.

Of course, it’s also very exquisite.

What attracts me?

It was her indifferent expression. She looked at everything indifferently and wearily, and had a natural sense of alienation from the noisy world around her.

I noticed a green sketchpad in the luggage compartment above her.

It turns out he is an art student.

Are all art students nowadays so beautiful?

I thought of a sentence on the Internet: You can rely on your looks, but you choose to rely on your talent.

After sitting down, I laughed at myself for paying too much attention to this girl.

After returning from the bathroom, his eyes naturally fell on her again——

She fell asleep.

Her head was tilted on the seat, her long hair covering most of her face, revealing her small nose and delicate chin, and her long eyelashes cast fan-shaped shadows under her eyelids, exuding a gentle atmosphere.

He is completely different from the distant person he was before.

After sitting down, I couldn’t help but look back at her and saw that she was very well-behaved after falling asleep.

Like a cat hiding in the shade of a tree in the afternoon.

Want to touch.

The cat’s claws scratch my heart from time to time.

I usually read documents, books and take a nap on flights.

That day, I was not sleepy at all. I was holding a book in my hand, and my attention was always attracted by the cat behind me.

Later, she woke up.

He rubbed his eyes with his little hands and clapped his mouth while yawning. He was so cute.

I couldn’t help but curl my lips.

After a moment, I noticed her eyes on me.

My heart is pounding, pounding, pounding. I swear, my heart has never beaten so fast in my life.

She’s looking at me! Still looking at me…

Is there something on my face? Am I clean-shaven? Is my hair styled perfectly?

Usually, the slicked-back hairstyle highlights the facial features and shows maturity. But that day, for the sake of comfort, the hairstyle was very casual, with loose hair in the front. Would it look frivolous?

I know I look good from the side, but does it look good from her angle? …

After a while, she looked away.

She scratched her head with her little paws a few times, tied it into a bun casually, then stood up and opened the luggage compartment.

I breathed a sigh of relief, my pounding heart calmed down, and I felt a little lost.

She opened her sketchbook and began to paint.

The plane was not particularly quiet, there was always the roar of the engine, and I seemed to be able to hear the rustling sound of her pencil falling on the paper.

She looked at me from time to time.

She is drawing me!

My heart was beating faster than before, and it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest with every second.

I sat very still.

I stared at the book, unable to read a single word.

My thoughts are in a mess.

The tips of my ears started to feel hot.

…

I’ve flown this route countless times, but for the first time it seemed so long and so short!

I have grown up to the point where I can clearly remember all my moods, all my secret excitement and loss.

It was so short that I didn’t have time to find a chance to talk to her before the plane landed.

At that time, I had never liked a girl, let alone pursued a girl. I didn’t have a clear understanding of what it meant to be moved, and I didn’t know that “love comes from nowhere, but is deep and lasting.”

I didn’t even know there is a kind of feeling called “love at first sight”.

It is absurd, yet it exists in reality.

It was not until Wanwan asked me that I realized that the feeling was actually heart-throb!

2

“Brother, brother, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about the girl you like?” Wanwan was very excited, her face was dancing with joy. She stood in front of me and snapped her fingers, “You don’t know how to chase, it’s okay, I’ll teach you!”

My eyes fell on the painting I had framed.

She drew it.

When the plane landed and everyone started packing their bags, I realized that if I didn’t do something, she would disappear in the crowd.

I walked towards her.

There was a moment of panic in her eyes, then she opened her sketchbook, took out the painting, walked towards me, and slammed the painting into my chest.

“I’m giving it to you. I usually charge for it!”

The tsundere tone and lively expression like an elf, as if I had taken great advantage of her.

I was about to ask for her phone number when she walked past me and walked away very quickly.

“Isn’t this your favorite portrait?” Wanwan followed my gaze and walked towards the painting.

“I always thought you just liked this painting, how young you look in it! Look at the light, it envelops you, like the Son of God. It turns out that loving the painting is fake, loving the painting is loving the whole house, and the real love is the person who painted it.”

Then, Wanwan pointed to the lower right corner of the portrait and said, “Isn’t there a name? Qin Ying.”

I want to say,

Later, I asked someone to look for her and searched for all the art students studying in that country, but I couldn’t find her.

“Qin Ying…” Gu Wanwan muttered softly, “This name sounds so familiar! I seem to have heard it somewhere…”

3

I have thought about what to say if we meet again.

“Hi, why is it you?” “What a coincidence that we meet again!” “How have you been these years? Do you still remember me? You once drew a picture for me, and I didn’t charge you for it, but I made some money…”

Unexpectedly, we would be separated by heaven when we met again.

I looked at the news of her death on my phone screen and it felt unreal. How could that lazy little cat, that smart elf, be gone?

“It’s a good thing you never started.” Wanwan said.

No, if it had started, maybe there wouldn’t have been that fire!

I have many regrets and a little pain in my heart.

It was like broken glass scratching my heart.

Thin and deep.

4

I read almost all the reports about Qin Ying and saw a familiar figure in the video.

Qin You.

It turned out to be her brother!

This young man came to me a few days ago. He owns a small factory that processes non-ferrous metals, relying on his father’s mining business. He hopes that I will invest in his angel round.

I had no interest in heavy industry and rejected the offer on the spot.

I asked my assistant to do three things:

First, he concealed his identity and bought the painting that Qin Ying was going to participate in the competition at a high price;

Second, notify Qin You so that he can learn more;

Third, check the Qin family, focusing on the relationship between Qin Ying and them.

5

It’s okay if you don’t check, but once you check…

Qin Ying was actually kicked out with her mother when she was a child;

How Qin Xue and her daughter bullied Qin Ying and her daughter, and how Qin Ying fought back; the video of the celebration banquet was also transferred to my mobile phone.

How Qin Xue used Qin Ying’s fame to promote her small gallery over the years;

Also, not long after Qin Ying passed away, Qin Xue couldn’t wait to take out a stack of her high-level paintings and use Qin Ying’s fame to rise to the top!

“This woman is so disgusting! How dare she set her sights on my future sister-in-law! Brother, beat her up!” Gu Wanwan made a “click” gesture at the side.

I raised my eyebrows and looked at her intently.

“Hey, I studied economics.” Gu Wanwan said, “Capital is a thing. If there is a 50% profit, it will take risks; if there is a 100% profit, it will dare to trample on all human laws; if there is a 300% profit, it will dare to commit any crime.”

“Look at Qin Xue. She has gained so much profit just by stepping on her sister to climb up the social ladder! Besides, there is also her father’s property.”

I still looked at her, but what I cared about was another sentence:

“Future sister-in-law? Hmm?”

Gu Wanwan let out a long “Ai” and took my arm:

“Qin Ying and Qin Xue have been fighting for so many years. Has she ever suffered any loss? I don’t believe she loses so easily. You certainly don’t believe it either, right? In the final analysis, she is the same kind of person as you!”

I am very relieved that my sister, who is full of love and romance, is not that stupid.

The assistant asked me if I wanted to go to the police station for consultation.

I said no.

I believe her.

6

I asked someone to delay Qin You’s project, giving him hope but not giving him any sweet rewards.

I got to know Qin Xue through Qin You.

Oh, this vain woman, she came up to me the first time she saw me.

I held her in my arms.

She wants to fly, so I send her to the sky.

In the field of painting, it is not possible to become a celebrity just by being pretty or having a sponsor. Ultimately, it is your strength that matters.

I’m waiting.

Waiting for someone to come back.

Countless nights, I woke up from my dreams, and I dreamed that the person was gone.

I was sweating profusely.

I think I fell in love with her.

The more I do for her, the more I feel touched, and the more I fall in love with the obsession of “loving her”…

7

I arranged the press conference for Qin Xue’s new work.

It’s been a year, I have supported her for a year, this is my limit.

I really can’t stand this talentless, self-righteous and pretentious woman.

In her eyes, conquering a man is equivalent to conquering the world.

That day, when I stepped into the banquet hall, my eyes swept across the blue zone and saw those who were good friends with Qin Ying. They looked excited and had vague guesses in their hearts.

Soon, I saw her!

I clenched my fists and resisted the urge to walk towards her.

Since she is here, she must be prepared. I am waiting to watch the show, waiting to see her pull Qin Xue down from the clouds to hell!

The press conference proceeded according to the procedure.

When the surveillance video appeared on the big screen, I found that it was me who was dragged down to hell!

When I saw the paint scraper stabbed hard into her cheek.

My heart hurts so much that I can’t breathe.

I couldn’t bear it any longer and strode towards her.

Ah Ying,

Don’t push me away…