Chapter 8: Creating the Illusion of Loss

As Lin Wei boarded the car home, her mind remained unsettled for a long time. According to Uncle Liu, it was highly likely that her father had discovered the affair between those two, which was why he was silenced.

But she couldn’t understand how Ni Fang and Xiao Yuanbing, five years apart in age—one from the south and the other from the north—had met and come together through what means.

And then there was the matter of revenge—

Putting aside the fact that Ni Qingguo would never let Lin Yuan go, just the grim fact that none of the three members of the Lin family had met a peaceful end was something she could never swallow.

Moreover, she absolutely refused to endure this bitterness while going to school in Jiangcheng.

Lin Wei gazed out the window, her hands clenching so tightly on her lap that her knuckles cracked.

A plan to strip them of everything was taking shape in her mind, slowly solidifying from a mere outline into something tangible.

—

When the siblings returned home, Ni Fang, accompanied by Ni Qingguo, had already finished packing her belongings.

Seeing several large bags by the door, Lin Wei hurriedly asked, “Mom, are you leaving now? Aren’t you having dinner tonight?”

“Why eat? If you want to eat, make it yourself. Do I owe you anything? I’ve been washing your clothes and cooking all day long.” Though Ni Fang didn’t look up, her tone was filled with impatience.

Ni Qingguo chuckled, “Weiwei, you don’t know how to care for your mom. Your dad’s dead—how could she be in the mood to cook? Besides, your mom is moving in with me today, so naturally, she’ll eat at my place. What, you want to come too? But you didn’t mention it beforehand, so I probably haven’t prepared food for you.”

“No need. We still have noodles at home. I’ll just cook some for me and my brother later.”

Before she finished speaking, Ni Fang emerged from the master bedroom carrying her luggage. “You should have five days to pack everything. Take whatever you can. I’ll have someone come by to look at the house these days, so don’t delay too long.”

Seeing Ni Fang ready to leave, Lin Wei quickly called after her, “Mom, have you seen the red cord around my neck? There’s a copper coin hanging from it. I remember wearing it this morning, but it’s gone when I came back.”

An impatient flicker crossed Ni Fang’s brow. “I don’t know. You treasure that coin like it’s precious, never taking it off even when you shower. How would I know? Maybe you lost it on the way. Anyway, it’s not at home—I already checked.”

“Alright then.”

Before Lin Wei could finish, Ni Fang slammed the door shut like she was fleeing.

Silence instantly filled the house.

“Mom’s gone,” Lin Yuan pouted, feeling wronged. “She didn’t even look at me or say a word before leaving.”

—

“It’s okay. Your sister’s still here. Let’s go to the kitchen—sister will cook noodles for you.”

But when they reached the kitchen—

Pots, bowls, pans, and basins were all gone.

Noodles, rice, and flour had vanished without a trace.

Even the leftover oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar had been packed up and taken.

Lin Wei couldn’t help but sneer, “No wonder they left so quickly—the whole kitchen was completely ransacked.”

Lin Yuan, already holding back tears, broke down at the sight of the empty kitchen.

“Sis, there’s no noodles, no rice, dad’s gone, mom’s gone, there’s nothing left.”

Lin Wei hugged Lin Yuan tightly. “Who says that? You still have your sister. Tonight we’ll eat out—sister has money, so we’ll eat well. After that, we’ll pack. If possible, we’ll leave tomorrow.”

Wiping the tear streaks from his face, Lin Yuan asked, “Sister, where are we going? We have nowhere to go. We don’t have a home anymore.”

“Who says that? Wherever sister is, that’s your home. Yuanyuan, remember, home isn’t limited to a place. Home is where you find joy, warmth, and support. It’s a place where you can rest and feel safe.”

Lin Yuan looked at Lin Wei, puzzled.

Then she said, “We’re going to Jiangcheng, where I go to university—and also… to find our aunt.”

“Aunt?” Lin Yuan’s face showed confusion again.

It was no surprise—he was only two years old the last time he saw their aunt, and that was on the day their grandmother passed away.

Now he was six years old; children don’t hold onto memories that long, and had Lin Wei not mentioned it, he wouldn’t have even remembered they had this relative.

“Sister, will Aunt take us in? Will her family accept us?”

Under normal circumstances, definitely not.

There had been discord between the two elder Lins and their aunt, Lin Xiaomeng—a rift that remained unresolved even until the elders passed away.

Because of this, Lin Dongliang, Lin’s father, had a strained relationship with Aunt Xiaomeng, let alone their rarely seen younger generation.

Yet, after her death in her past life, she had stayed in this world for a while.

Xiao Yuanbing had killed her and, along with Ni Fang, buried her in the wilderness. Perhaps Heaven took pity—heavy rain the next day washed her body from the mud, and someone found her and immediately called the police.

Sadly, all three members of the Lin family died at the hands of those two. Her mother refused to claim her body, leaving only the aunt still alive.

She had thought the aunt wouldn’t care, having barely met her and hardly sharing any bond.

But after seeing her condition, the aunt spent all her family’s wealth and effort to seek justice for her, determined to find the true culprit.

Just when she was about to bring the murderer to justice, Xiao Yuanbing and Ni Fang had someone run the aunt down, killing her.

It was because of this that she was reborn, filled with resentment and fear.

And it was also because of this that she now held many incriminating pieces of evidence against them.

Yes, including that very copper coin.

She had deliberately mentioned its loss in front of Ni Fang, creating the illusion that it was missing.

In reality, the coin had long been kept close to her.

As for the coin’s origin—

It was somewhat of a stroke of fate.

The day before the college entrance exam, because she was assigned to a more remote testing center, she was estimating her bike travel time when she happened upon an overturned car.

From it, she rescued a boy about her age, covered in blood.

Not long after they left the car, it exploded.

Lin Wei was knocked unconscious and woke up in the hospital.

The boy had entrusted this coin to her father to give to her. Because it was exquisitely crafted, she tied it with a red cord and wore it as a necklace.

After her father’s death in her previous life, they had followed Ni Fang to Ni Qingguo’s home. Not long after—perhaps within two months—one night Ni Fang sneaked in while she was asleep and cut the red cord with scissors, stealthily taking the copper coin.

When Lin Wei woke and made a fuss, those who understood the coin’s value not only didn’t help her but accused her of making trouble.

Only after her death, during the time her aunt fought for justice, did she learn that—

Ni Qingguo’s later wealth and Xiao Yuanbing’s opportunities were all secured by coercing the coin’s owner in exchange for saving their lives.

If they hadn’t gotten the coin in this lifetime, would they still have amassed such vast wealth and overwhelming power?