Synopsis
When Yu Yao opens her eyes, she realizes that she has transmigrated into a book that she had once read. It's a book containing a typical story about a real daughter and a fake daughter.
The real daughter was framed, and the fake daughter was pampered by everyone. Her biological brothers had only been doting on her fake younger sister—who had been switched at birth—and hated Yu Yao tremendously. They even believed her fake sister's lies and sent Yu Yao to a mental hospital.
"Wah… Ah, no…"
"Christ! Don't be so shameless!"
The man's rough breathing and a girl's whimpering sounded beside Yu Yao's ear, and she was suddenly roused from her drowsiness..
What was going on? How was she still alive?!
Controlling her breathing and the movements of her body, Yu Yao quietly opened her eyes. She saw a pure white wall and ceiling stretching above her. It looked like she was in a hospital.
She shifted her gaze slightly and saw a fat man lying on the narrow single bed beside her.
A slender white leg struggled underneath him, aching to kick and strike the man on top of it. The man was annoyed by the movements. He stood up and slapped the girl under him, and she immediately cried loudly.
"Wah… Wah… It hurts so much, Mommy, Mommy…" She started crying like a child.
"Ugh, this is no fun." The man got up in frustration and casually pulled on his pants. He looked up and saw Yu Yao, who was lying on the next bed over and looking around coldly.
3
"Oh, the little b*tch is finally awake?" The man's fat face broke into an evil smile. "I've always wanted to have a taste of a rich missy like you. Just sleeping is boring. Naturally, it's more fun when you're awake…"
He walked towards the hospital bed. When Yu Yao heard those creepy words, she had a bad feeling.
She propped herself up on the bed and quietly observed her surroundings.
"Who are you? Why am I here?"
"Hehe, pretending to have amnesia, Miss Yu? Oh right, the Yu family doesn't acknowledge you. They personally sent you to this mental hospital. Do you even know what a mental illness is?"
The man laughed brusquely. "When it comes to a girlie like you… even if you tell me ten thousand times that you're not sick, you won't be able to prove it. Until I nod my head to approve your claim, you won't be able to leave!"
He slowly approached Yu Yao, wanting to see her panic-stricken face. However, the girl sitting on the bed was very calm, and her face even revealed a look of sudden realization.
At this moment, Yu Yao finally understood where the sense of familiarity had originated.
In her previous life, Yu Yao had had a female colleague who loved all kinds of brainless and melodramatic online stories. She had read this romance novel called "Fake Daughter of Endless Glory" countless times.
Because the real heiress in the novel had the same name and surname as Yu Yao, her colleague had said with certainty that Yu Yao would one day transmigrate into the story. In order to develop a good foundation for her future life in the book, Yu Yao, who never normally read novels, had had no choice but to flip through the melodramatic pulp.
5
Why was it said that this book was a bad example?
Because the female lead of this book, the fake daughter Yu Wan, was a complete lunatic!
In this book, as long as someone went against Yu Wan, they would be destroyed by her, her brothers, and her admirers.
After the real daughter, Yu Yao, returned to the Yu family, Yu Wan had worried that she would lose everything. She had relied on her relationship with her three brothers for more than twenty years and plotted to frame and smear Yu Yao.
On the other hand, Yu Yao, the legitimate daughter, yearned for kinship with her own family. She envied the love her biological brothers had for Yu Wan and clumsily tried to please them. However, no matter what she did, she was suspected of having an ulterior motive and it was seen as her encroaching on what had originally belonged to Yu Wan.
6
Finally, under Yu Wan's constant provocation, the three brothers had lost all patience with Yu Yao and sent her to a mental hospital. They wanted to teach this restless sister a lesson.
However, they were unaware that the director of this mental hospital had long been in cahoots with Yu Wan. They had colluded and locked up a few people who had spats with Yu Wan, forcing them to develop real mental illnesses and even torturing them to death.
Yu Yao had fallen into the hands of this perverted director who liked to violate young girls and torture them.
1
In the end, they felt that they had taught Yu Yao enough of a lesson, so they took her out of the hospital.
However, the Yu Yao who had once yearned for kinship was no longer around. Her heart was filled with hatred for Yu Wan and the brothers. She used all sorts of ways to take revenge on Yu Wan, but how could the supporting actress defeat the female lead?
Yu Yao's actions were merely Yu Wan's stepping stone to success and glory. In the end, Yu Wan got a beautiful family and a successful career.
Yu Yao, on the other hand, had long since lost her reputation in the process of going against Yu Wan. She became poor, destitute, and suffered an illness. She had been a pathetic failure her entire life.
Yu Yao spent a few seconds recalling the plot of this book. In the eyes of the perverted director, she seemed so frightened that she forgot to resist.
"Hehe, fine. It saves me from having to be too rough later. A pampered scion like you won't be able to take it…"
The man slowly approached Yu Yao, who had regained her senses. She slowly moved back and leaned against the iron headboard.
Although she was retreating, there was no fear in her eyes.
Her voice was hoarse and cold as she asked, "Did you get someone to hurt my arm?"
Perhaps it was the high and mighty questioning tone that triggered the man. His face became twisted and angry.
"B*tch! How dare you talk to me like that?!"
In Yu Yao's eyes, the man rushing over ferociously was slow and full of flaws.
She sidestepped lightly and grabbed one of his arms. She spun around and pressed herself against him from behind, knocking his head against the iron headboard. One arm was behind his back, and he was pinned to the bed by the slender girl.
"Tsk tsk, what a pity. As a director, you don't even know how to solve such a simple problem.. I think you should be the one having your brain treated."
The hospital director, who was rippling with muscles, called her a slut and a whore as he struggled. Yu Yao pulled the shirt from his upper body and put it around his wrists, then tied his hands tightly. Then, she grabbed his head and slammed it against the wall as he cursed.
2
"You…"
Bang!
"This…"
Clang! Clang!
"Slut!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Yu Yao sneered and said, "Does that sound good? That sound means you're a blockhead!"
2
Bright red sticky blood dripped from the man's forehead. He was mumbling something, but Yu Yao couldn't be bothered to listen.
"Oh? You're still scolding me? It seems you're still not convinced." As she spoke, Yu Yao grabbed the back of his head and prepared to smash it again.
The dean, whose head was bleeding, hurriedly shouted, "No, no! I'm not scolding you!"
"Really? But I don't believe you!" Yu Yao mercilessly grabbed his head and smashed it down again!
"You b*tch!" The director's eyes were red with hatred. "You're breaking the law. I… I'm going to send you to prison!"
"Breaking the law?" Yu Yao laughed. "Have you forgotten? I'm insane. Even if I kill someone, I won't have to take criminal responsibility!"
1
As she laughed, she used all her strength to slam his head down again. The man underneath her suddenly stopped struggling and collapsed completely.
Yu Yao touched the side of his neck, her face written with regret.
"Tsk, he's actually not dead."
…
Half an hour later, a scream sounded through the mental hospital.
The patients in the ward were making a ruckus. They were banging on the doors, only to have the security guards strike back at the door with their batons as they rushed down the corridors.
"The surveillance camera at the door didn't capture that woman. She's still on the ward somewhere. Quick, find her!"
The security guards and nurses searched around, cursing in their hearts.
When the woman had first been sent in, she had also made a scene. She was clearly just a weak young brat who could be made to fall asleep obediently with a shot of tranquilizer. They did not know what had gone wrong today for her to reduce the hospital director into such a state; she had even attempted to escape from the ward.
The hateful security guards thought to themselves that they would definitely teach the lunatic a lesson when they caught her!
Yu Yao was crouching in the shrubbery beside the courtyard wall, listening to the footsteps going back and forth, as well as the gradually approaching shouts. She could not help but curse in her heart.
She was currently extremely weak. In the few days that she had been at the mental hospital, she had been force fed some sedatives. It had already been very difficult for her to subdue that perverted director just now. Now, she was truly at the end of her tether.
She calmed her racing heart and tightly gripped the key that she had taken from the dean's body. It became a barely usable weapon in her hand.
With such a tense atmosphere, she actually felt a little excited.
It's been a long time since I've experienced such a dangerous situation. I've really missed it!
While Yu Yao was quietly waiting for her prey to approach, she was unaware that she was also being treated as prey by some creatures.
A furry shadow sprang lightly from the wall behind Yu Yao and landed on her back, suddenly pressing her down.
Her heart trembled, and a layer of cold sweat appeared on the back of her neck. She had no time to be surprised, and with a backhand, she tried to fight with the unfathomable expert behind her.
She heard a coquettish meow.
1
At the same time, Yu Yao also grabbed the claw of the "expert" behind her.
It was a Maine Coon that was much larger than an average cat.
Although the Maine Coon was huge in size, its looks were comparable to that of a doll. Under the dim lights, its blue and gold eyes were mysterious and charming, and the snow white fur on its body looked very soft. It was obviously a house cat that was taken care of meticulously.
Yu Yao looked at the wall covered with barbed wire and then at the Maine Coon lazily licking its paws.
If you can jump down safely, I guess that means the barbed wire has no electricity. That makes things much easier.
Hearing the sound of the security guards drawing closer and closer, Yu Yao didn't hesitate anymore. She leaped onto the wall and nimbly passed through the barbed wire.
When she landed on the ground, she bent her knees slightly and supported herself against the wall with one hand while hugging the Maine Coon with her other arm. The Maine Coon still had its paw raised in a daze. The cat's face was filled with confusion, as though it did not understand what had just happened.
1
"Little guy, I have to go. Can you find your owner?"
Before Yu Yao let go of the cat, she couldn't help but pat it, and it meowed at her.
Oh no! Yu Yao felt a sense of danger. Before she could get far, a strong beam of torchlight shone over her.
"Master, I have found the cat. It's here!"
2
Yu Yao shielded her eyes with one hand. The strong light made it impossible for her to see the person's face clearly. She could only vaguely make out a tall figure.
A few steps away, a man stood in the light. Yu Yao could only see his silhouette. He was tall and well-built, wearing a tailored suit, and his straight legs seemed exceptionally long under the light.
However, his excellent figure did not cause Yu Yao to lose her senses. The cigarette held between his fingers seemed to ignite a certain flame in her body, getting her excited.
2
The man's footsteps seemed to have a special frequency. He slowly approached Yu Yao and lowered his head to look at her and the Maine Coon in her arms.
Yu Yao could not see his eyes clearly, but she knew that his gaze must be as deep as the night sky above her.
And his tone was just like the gentle breeze that evening, gentle yet cold.
"I only have the smell of someone else on me. Why are you so angry that you decided to run away from home?"
Yu Yao took a deep breath and realized that he was talking to the cat in her arms.
He reached out his hand to pat the Maine Coon's head, but before he could get close, it shrank into Yu Yao's arms and arched its back towards him!
"Agh, I just don't know what to do with you…" The man sighed and helplessly retracted his hand.
As her eyes gradually adjusted to the light, Yu Yao saw the man's face clearly.
He did not have the kind of delicate, pretty face that was popular nowadays. Instead, he exuded a more traditional sense of aesthetics. He had a high nose bridge and deep eye sockets. Not only was he handsome, he seemed to be mixed race. He was attractive enough to be admired by everyone!
Although the man in front of her was Yu Yao's type, she hadn't forgotten that she was escaping from captivity at an asylum. Now was not the time to admire some random guy's beauty!
She lifted the cat in her arms and wanted to pass it into the man's grasp, but the cat refused to accept her kindness. It clung onto Yu Yao's clothes and refused to leave her.
She could already hear the noise coming from the entrance of the mental hospital.
Knowing that the security guards were about to find her, she panicked even more and wanted to hand the cat in her arms to its owner. However, the Maine Coon seemed to be treating this as a game of evasion. No matter how hard Yu Yao tried, she could not get the cat away from herself.
The man in front of her had a rather nasty character as well. He was acting like he was watching a comedy. He put the cigarette between his fingers to his lips and took a puff, and the smoke came out accompanied by a low chuckle.
Yu Yao couldn't help but glare at the vile man.
At this moment, a few security guards with batons rushed over. The moment they saw Yu Yao, they shouted excitedly.
"The woman is outside the wall on the west side. Come and get her!"
"Damn it!" Yu Yao frowned, cursing angrily.
She sized up the man in front of her. She wasn't sure if he would mind her own business, but she had no other option than to take a gamble.
"Sir, on account of me helping you find your cat, please could you help me? I'm not sick, I mustn't be captured!"
"You helped me find my cat?" He chuckled in a low voice, as if he were teasing her.
He thought that she was a little girl who really knew how to distort the truth. She was taking credit for finding his cat, but he didn't find it annoying.
Yu Yao thought that his smile signified rejection.
"This mental hospital is a devil's den. The director has raped many young girls! Even if you are unwilling to help me, please do not help them!"
At this time, the doctor and security guard on duty had already reached them and were aggressively trying to grab Yu Yao.
Qiao Lian's back was to the security guards. He raised his hand slightly and the few bodyguards in suits beside him started to move. In just a few moves, they snatched the batons from the security guards and stopped them.
There's a chance! Yu Yao's eyes lit up. "Sir, you're really a good, helpful person! Could you help me call the police…?"
The security guards got worked up when they heard the word "police".
"This woman is a patient from our mental hospital. She has a paranoid delusional disorder. Sir, everything she says is nonsense. Please hand her over to us!"
Qiao Lian turned his head slightly and swept his gaze over the bellowing security captain.
"How noisy."
It was just two light words, but the security captain was then hit in the mouth by the man's bodyguard's rod. Blood instantly flowed from his mouth. Before he could so much as cry out, his mouth was stuffed with an unknown cloth.
Everyone fell silent.
Qiao Lian looked at Yu Yao and said with a smile, "You're wrong. I'm not a good person. Besides, I'm only here to find a naughty little cat that ran away from home. What can I help you with?"
He thought that the girl in front of him would continue to plead with him, or at least have the backbone to say, "Forget it if you don't want to help me."
Unexpectedly, the girl lifted the cat up and placed it next to her face. The two pairs of clear eyes widened slightly as they looked at Qiao Lian.
"Meow?" The real cat was confused.
"Meow~" The fake cat behaved even more coquettishly than the real one. "If that's what you want, I can also be a cat, Master."
"Cough…" A sudden cough came from one side. It was actually a bodyguard in a suit and leather shoes.
Qiao Lian's bodyguards usually had a professionalism that far exceeded that of their peers. They generally wouldn't make a fuss unless they couldn't help it!
Gosh, they had been with Master Qiao for so many years, but when had they ever seen a woman act so coquettishly towards him?
This girl was actually not afraid of their master's terrifying aura.
What was even more unbelievable to the bodyguards was that their master, who most hated pretentious behavior from women, had yet to make anyone throw her out.
Qiao Lian faced the girl who was acting like a cute cat in front of him. Not only did he not feel disgusted, he actually felt as if a furry tail had been brushed across his heart. This feeling was extremely novel to him.
He forgot to take a drag on the cigarette in his fingers for a long time. There was a pile of ashes accumulating, as if that could hide his momentary loss of composure. He threw the cigarette butt on the ground, and his Italian custom-made leather shoe crushed it.
Yu Yao, who had been brought up with the core values of socialism in her previous life, couldn't help but say, "It's not good to litter like that."
Even though stepping on the cigarette butt like that was extremely cool, Yu Yao still shot him a disapproving look.
Qiao Lian was both exasperated and amused at the same time. His heart was beating wildly after hearing her cute "meow", but she didn't notice it at all. Instead, she was concerned about the cigarette butt being thrown on the ground.
"I already told you earlier that I'm not a good person."
Qiao Lian's heavy gaze landed on Yu Yao. "Little kitten, you must think carefully. Are you sure you want to come with me?"
"Uh… I think I should…"
Meeting his gaze, Yu Yao's heart faltered and she immediately stuttered.
At this moment, she felt as if she really were a stray cat, and the fur on her body could stand on end crazily, sending dangerous signals to her brain and urging her to quickly escape from this man.
However, the commotion outside the mental hospital disrupted her thoughts.
"What do you mean by that? My sister was sent here, but you've lost her and you're pushing the blame on her?"
The vice director of the mental hospital defended himself. "Third Young Master Yu, this is really not a management issue of our hospital. Your sister is very sick. It's understandable that an accident can happen to a mental patient."
"You!" The irascible and angry Yu Jue grabbed the vice director by his collar. The vice director was shocked and looked to Yu Lang behind him for help.
"That's enough, Third Brother," said Yu Lang, who was dressed like an elite. His gold-rimmed glasses obscured his deep gaze.
Yu Lang said to the vice director, "Yu Yao's psychiatric diagnosis was fake. When we sent her here, our family instructed you not to use any violent methods on her."
"But…"
"Alright, I don't want to hear any more excuses," Yu Lang said coldly. "The Yu family will have to reevaluate its investments into the mental hospital soon."
Yu Yao couldn't help but sneer as she listened to their conversation.
"Ha, what touching kinship."
Qiao Lian looked at the girl, who was only wearing a thin hospital gown, and then looked at the other people with different expressions. He already understood their relationship.
However, even Qiao Lian, who was used to being cold-hearted, had not expected that someone would deliberately send their sane family member to a mental hospital. No matter what their reasoning was, such a trick was despicable.
His heart ached for the girl before him.
This was an unusual and slightly dangerous feeling.
"Do you want to go over and take a look?" Qiao Lian asked. "Of course, I could also take you away from here directly."
"I can't think of a reason to avoid them." Yu Yao sneered. "Besides, I'm not the one who should feel ashamed here."
With that, she walked towards the entrance of the mental hospital. Her arrogant posture made it seem like she was looking to pick a fight.
Qiao Lian looked at her thin, weak back and chuckled before following her.
Before he got close, Yu Wan's voice could be heard.
"Big Brother, Third Brother, the most important thing for us right now is not to pursue the mental hospital, but to find Elder Sister Yaoyao as soon as possible. Seriously, even if she has suffered some grievances, she can't just run away like this. Dad, Mom, and us siblings will be so worried…"
Yu Lang frowned slightly and rubbed his temples. He regretted not having left Yu Jue and Yu Wan at home.
Yu Jue was like a powder keg that had been lit on fire, and Yu Wan was by his side saying that she was worried about Yu Yao, but she was also subtly accusing her of being willful.
It was not that he could not understand the deeper meaning behind Yu Wan's words, but he felt that she had been pampered since she was young. Yu Yao might be a little unstable now, so he did not mind Yu Wan's occasional provocative words for the time being. He did not expect such things to continue happening in the future.
Yu Yao, on the other hand, was different from Yu Wan. She had grown up in a small village and had developed a rude and barbaric personality. After she returned to the Yu family, she had been irked by Yu Wan on many occasions and even developed the habit of attacking her.
It was when Yu Yao had almost pushed Yu Wan off the balcony that Yu Lang and his family had made up their minds to teach their sister a lesson.
That was why he had sent Yu Yao to a mental hospital which the Yu family had invested in. However, he had never expected that it would be this decision that would lead to tragedy in his sister's life…
"Thank you for your insincere concern." Yu Yao remembered that they hadn't come to the hospital for a visit in the original book, but it didn't stop her from provoking them.
The three siblings of the Yu family and the vice director looked over at the same time.
A slender figure slowly walked out of the darkness into the light of the dim street lamp. She was wearing a thin and loose hospital gown, but she did not look too bleak in the early autumn wind.
In her arms was a huge Maine Coon. The cat had the same arrogant expression as she did.
Behind the girl with the cat stood a tall man. Although he was wearing a suit like his bodyguards, one could tell from his aura that he was not an ordinary person.
When Yu Lang saw the man's face clearly, his pupils constricted. How could Qiao Lian be here?
Unlike Yu Lang, who feared Qiao Lian, Yu Jue, who was in the entertainment industry, did not know of this business tycoon. His attention was all on Yu Yao.
"Yaoyao!" Yu Jue ran over, his anxious expression softening slightly.
"So you're here. I thought something had happened to you. You scared me…"
He wanted to hold on to Yu Yao's shoulder and check if she was injured, but his attempt to perform such an intimate action only made Yu Yao take a step back warily.
Even the Maine Coon in Yu Yao's arms flashed its claws to Yu Jue.
Yu Jue stopped in shock. He was a little hurt and regretful as he avoided Yu Yao's gaze. When he opened his mouth again, he lost his confidence.
"Yaoyao, I'm just… just a little worried about you."
Yu Yao had no idea what was going on. She wondered if she had missed out on part of the story when she read the novel in her previous life.
This Third Young Master Yu in front of her wasn't how Yu Yao had imagined him. He was extremely disgusted with his sister and had a cold attitude.
Out of caution, Yu Yao did not speak; she just observed Yu Jue's expression.
"I think she has already said enough. Thank you for your insincere concern." Although he didn't know what kind of relationships Yu Yao held with her family, Qiao Lian simply didn't want her to be hurt.
Hence, he took a step forward and put his arm around her thin shoulders. He was doing something that did not conform to his principles—interfering with the family matters of others.
Yu Jue was famous for being hot-tempered in the entertainment industry. At this moment, he naturally could not keep his bad temper under control.
"Who are you! You have nothing to do with our family. Also, get your arm off my sister, you bastard!"
"Shut up, Third Brother!" Yu Lang, who had been silent all this time, suddenly snapped. He had been observing Qiao Lian's expression, and only heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that Qiao Lian didn't seem to be angered.
Although the Yu family were nouveau riche in Haicheng, they were not on the same level as the Qiao family. As the successor of the Yu family, Yu Lang only vaguely understood Qiao Lian's style.
It was rumored that as the third son, Qiao Lian had used a rather cruel method to eliminate his two older brothers. That was why he had been able to become the head of the Qiao family in his twenties.
And his enemies usually didn't end well.
No matter what relationship Yu Yao had with this person, Yu Lang didn't want Qiao Lian to be angered by Yu Jue's rude attitude.
"How nice for your family to have a slightly smarter member." Qiao Lian glanced indifferently at Yu Lang. "But if you lack acumen, no matter how smart you are, things will only end in destruction."
Yu Lang's pupils constricted slightly. He could glean the deeper meaning of Qiao Lian's words, and he recalled the Yu family's overnight defeat that had happened in his previous life.
If Yu Yao hadn't fought for a chance to ease the tension between them, the Yu family might have fallen into an even more miserable state.
Yu Lang had been through this before in a previous life and already had a clear idea of the future, but how could Qiao Lian's casual words be so precise?
Yu Jue, on the other hand, did not think as deeply as his older brother. He did not dare to anger his older brother, so he could only mutter discontentedly.
"Not only did you lay your hands on my younger sister, you even tried to blame it on your short-sightedness! How arrogant!"
His voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.
Although she still didn't know why her third brother held such a changed attitude towards his younger sister, Yu Yao seemed to have understood part of his nature.
To be honest, this Third Young Master Yu was a hot-tempered person. He was surely a fool!
Everyone simultaneously ignored Yu Jue's dissatisfied speech. In contrast, Yu Lang's attitude became much calmer.
"Yaoyao, I admit that sending you to the mental hospital was a little much, so we've come to bring you home. We're blood-related, and we won't…"
Not waiting for him to finish, Yu Yao felt a surge of anger rising in her body. This was probably a feeling that the real Yu Yao had left behind.
"So, sending a completely normal sister to the hospital is just a tad too much?"
Though it was Yu Yao speaking, it was as though a demon inside her were speaking instead.
"I was tied up and beaten up, fed a handful of sedatives, and violated by the perverted director. To you, that's not even worth mentioning, right?"
After this outburst, Yu Yao felt the anger in her body slowly dissipate.
How pitiful. Yu Yao, is your hatred for them so weak? she thought to herself.
Yu Yao didn't want to delve into the expressions on Yu Lang and Yu Jue's faces. She didn't even want to know if they felt any heartache or remorse.
Yu Yao turned her head to look at Qiao Lian beside her. Her calm tone even carried a hint of good humor.
"Look, I'm a beautiful girl with an interesting soul. Would you mind having a sister like me?"
"If you don't mind, I'll consider you to have accepted me."
"Take me away from here, Brother…"
"You just called me master, and now you're calling me brother?" There was a trace of gentleness in Qiao Lian's tone that even he himself didn't notice.
He saw that Yu Yao's eyes seemed to be sparkling slightly, and he realized belatedly that the cause was tears that were stubbornly refusing to fall.
He reached out his hand to touch Yu Yao's head and gently rubbed it, his palm moving down slightly to wipe away the tears in her eyes.
"However, seeing that you're calling me brother, I will do you a favor."
Yu Yao moved closer to Qiao Lian. "Let's go, Brother."
Qiao Lian grabbed Yu Yao's shoulder and led her over to the luxury car parked by the road.
After taking two or three steps, Qiao Lian felt Yu Yao's body tremble slightly. Suddenly, she seemed to have lost all her strength and fell softly to the ground.
Third Master Qiao, who had not made contact with women for more than twenty years, reached out and picked up the girl beside him without hesitation.
Behind them, Yu Jue called out "Yaoyao" worriedly. He wanted to rush over but was stopped by the bodyguards.
Qiao Lian ignored the shouts behind him and carried Yu Yao over to the backseat of the luxury car.
Yu Yao didn't know if it was because of the cold or because she had been dosed with too much medicine, but she felt like she was in an igloo. Only the man beside her and the Maine Coon in her arms could bring her some warmth.
The Maine Coon seemed to have sensed that something was wrong with her. It patted her pale face with its soft paw as if to express concern for the two-legged beast.
Yu Yao only had enough time to flash Qiao Lian a weak smile and say "thank you" softly before she closed her eyes and lost consciousness.
The three members of the Yu family stayed where they were and watched as the row of luxury cars drove off into the night.
It was only when Yu Wan seemed to have escaped the man's imposing aura that she finally dared to speak.
"Third Brother, how could Elder Sister Yaoyao leave with that man? Would she rather trust an outsider than us? And she even called him brother!"
"That's right! How could she call that wild man brother?!"
Yu Jue paced back and forth, gritting his teeth as he said, "Yaoyao hasn't called me brother in a long time. What right does that wild man from God-knows-where have to be Yaoyao's brother? Brother, do you think this is reasonable?!"
Yu Wan thought that Yu Jue was dissatisfied with Yu Yao and couldn't help but smile. Yu Lang caught that fleeting smile and his eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Unlike Yu Wan, Yu Lang knew his third brother well. He knew that Yu Jue wasn't dissatisfied with Yu Yao, he just felt a bit wronged.
Therefore, Yu Lang was willing to comfort his younger brother.
"If what Yaoyao said is true, then you can imagine the pain she suffered in the mental hospital. You can't blame her for not trusting us. Give her some time."
"But that man…"
"That's the head of the Qiao family, Qiao Lian. A guy like him won't do anything to Yaoyao."
"What? That's Qiao Lian?!"
Yu Jue and Yu Wan exclaimed in unison.
Yu Jue was just surprised by Qiao Lian's identity.
Other than feeling shocked, Yu Wan was jealous! Why?! Yu Yao was just a wild girl who had grown up in the countryside!
Why was Yu Yao lucky enough to have been found by the Yu family? She had almost stolen everything that belonged to Yu Wan!
It had not been easy to send her to the mental hospital, yet this wild girl had managed to escape and even ended up meeting the mysterious head of the Qiao family!
If Yu Yao had Qiao Lian as her backer, wouldn't Yu Wan have to tolerate her in every way in the future? No! Yu Wan made up her mind to never let that happen!
Yu Wan fixed her gaze in the direction Qiao Lian and Yu Yao had left in. She seemed to have thought of something and suddenly relaxed.
Yu Lang didn't wait until the next day to launch a full-scale investigation of the hospital. As an investor, the Yu family's request to do an investigation into the hospital was reasonable and they had no reason to refuse.
Yu Wan received a call from the director of the mental hospital. "Wanwan, why is the Yu family investigating the mental hospital? Have they discovered something?"
The hospital director's head was still bandaged, but he could no longer lie comfortably in a hospital bed. He was already drenched in cold sweat.
"Uncle, how did this happen?" Yu Wan's tone was full of worry.
"I came to ask you because I myself don't know!"
"Ah… I think it's probably because of what Yu Yao said to Eldest Brother and the others."
Yu Wan comforted him by saying, "But Uncle, don't worry. Don't you like to make videos?"
"In order to avoid Yu Yao's video from getting out, the Yu family won't do anything to you, right?"
When she woke up again, her vision was still pure white.
Yu Yao thought that she had returned to the damned mental hospital again, but the pajamas she was wearing were made of high-quality fabric, and the mattress on her bed was clearly luxurious.
Even private hospitals did not provide such treatment.
Yu Yao sat up and looked around. Although the room was mostly white, it looked more like a hotel than a hospital.
There was still a needle attached to her hand. It seemed that she had been treated while she was unconscious.
After getting off the bed and moving around, the door opened a crack and the Maine Coon squeezed inside.
"It's you." Yu Yao sat on the carpet and rubbed the cat's head happily. "Thank you for coming to see me and thank your master…"
"His master wants to hear you thank him personally."
Yu Yao lifted her head, her gaze running up that pair of long legs to the man's face.
Qiao Lian was not dressed in a suit or leather shoes like last night. His hairstyle was not carefully styled, and his short hair was casually covering his forehead. He looked like a youthful university student.
Yu Yao did not try to hide the amazement in her eyes as she openly admired the beauty in front of her.
She was not stingy with her praise. "You're very handsome today, Brother!"
This was definitely not the reaction Qiao Lian had been expecting. For a moment, he was also thrown off balance by this girl who didn't play by the rules.
"Looks like I'll have to thank you first. Thank you for your praise."
Yu Yao giggled. "You're welcome."
Qiao Lian stepped aside and said, "Room service has brought breakfast. The doctor has instructed us to provide you with suitable food. Are you hungry?"
"I'm so hungry that I could swallow a cow!"
Qiao Lian thoughtfully closed the door for Yu Yao and waited for her to wash up before coming out to eat.
After Yu Yao finished her breakfast, a private doctor came over and did a simple checkup for her.
There were still some sedatives left in her body, but she would be able to metabolize them. There was no need for excessive treatment.
Of course, following his professional ethics, the doctor suggested that Yu Yao go to the hospital for a more detailed examination.
Like a real brother who was worried about his sister's health, Qiao Lian discussed it with the doctor for a while.
After sending the doctor away, he said to Yu Yao, "I think it's safer to go for a more thorough examination. What do you think?"
Yu Yao did not understand the man in front of her. She did not even know his name.
This made her feel very strange. Taking her away from the mental hospital could be considered the man's daily act of kindness, but was there a need for him to go this far?
Was he addicted to doing good deeds? But like he had said, he was not a good person.
"Hey, you're not really going to be my brother, are you?"
Yu Yao tried to sound him out. "Wake up. It's not a smart habit to let someone call you brother."
"Why would you think that?" Qiao Lian shook his head and smiled as he tapped the Maine Coon's head. "All I did was save a stray cat."
Save a stray cat?!
Yu Yao instinctively wanted to tell him that he was talking nonsense, but after thinking about it carefully, she felt that there was nothing for her to refute. For someone like him, hiring a doctor for a girl and treating a stray cat was equally insignificant.
However, a person who meddled in the affairs of a stray cat could be either a warm-hearted animal rights activist or a two-legged beast who had designs on those cats!
Yu Yao leaned forward and moved closer to Qiao Lian. Their eyes met and neither of them backed down.
Her voice was soft, as though she were a cat testing its territory. "So, after rescuing the stray cat, do you plan to set her free, or will you tame her into a domestic cat?"
Qiao Lian's eyes gradually turned dark. He had already looked through Yu Yao's information. She had just celebrated her 20th birthday and had never had a boyfriend. Her living environment was also very simple. She was supposed to be young and innocent, so how could she display such a seductive side so easily?
However, this did not seem like a good time to explore the mysterious contrast in her personality.
He didn't answer her directly and just said meaningfully, "I'm a businessman. I never do business if it will end in a loss."
"Is that so?" Yu Yao suddenly smiled brightly and stood up to put some distance between the two of them. "It's a pity that cats aren't good partners. Don't you agree, little cutie?"
She raised the Maine Coon and waved a paw at Qiao Lian. The cat meowed in agreement.
Qiao Lian gently patted the cat's paw and sighed. "He's helping an outsider."
After staying in the hotel for another sumptuous lunch, Yu Yao planned to leave.
Since she had come to a new world, she naturally had to start a new life. She was filled with disgust towards the Yu family because of the book and didn't want to have anything to do with them anymore. However, her original identification and school records were still with the Yus, so she had to collect those things.
As they were saying their goodbyes, Qiao Lian smiled and asked, "After eating and living here for free, should the stray cat leave the humans who helped her without feeling any reluctance?"
Yu Yao went forward and gave him a hug. "I have no choice. Stray cats love freedom."
Qiao Lian patted the girl's back. After the short hug, he handed Yu Yao a business card.
"I hope that this stray cat will never get hurt again. If it does, there will be ways for it to seek help from a kind human."
Yu Yao only looked at the name card after getting into the taxi.
It was just a simple name and a phone number, but it looked quite cool.
In her previous life, Yu Yao had naturally been sensitive to numbers. After being reborn into the book, she seemed to have brought this trait along. With only a glance, she memorized the string of numbers.
She put the name card away carefully. After all, it was a gift from a friendly human to a stray cat.
Qiao Lian? Was there such a person in the novel?
Yu Yao closed her eyes and recalled the book she had read in her previous life. She was quite confident in her memory and was sure that such a character had never appeared in the novel.
However, as the story progressed, it mentioned the Qiao family.
The Qiaos were a rather mysterious family. Their businesses were all overseas. Not only did they invest in various industries, but they also had their own military forces overseas. They were involved in many shady things.
Yu Yao muttered to herself, "Doesn't seem like we'll be able to mutually benefit here. There are too many villains in this setting. No wonder he didn't get any scenes."
At this moment, she was glad that she had made the choice to leave. It was not that she did not understand Qiao Lian's intentions. His looks and demeanor were very eye-catching to her. However, it didn't change the fact that no matter how comfortable a human's pet could be, stray cats still loved freedom and the feeling of being unrestrained.
The Yu family's villa was a little deserted.
Yu Hong, the head of the Yu family, had already passed on his authority to his eldest son. Recently, he had been on vacation overseas with his wife, Chen Lin.
Eldest Young Master Yu Lang was a standard workaholic. He would never retire early or avoid overtime.
Second Young Master Yu Heng was a researcher at a secret agency in the country. He was even more of a workaholic than his elder brother and didn't go home all year round.
The third young master, Yu Jue, was a popular idol. He was so busy that he just slept on planes every day.
In the novel, Yu Yao had only met all her relatives upon her first return to the Yu family. After a short period of introductions, her parents and brothers had gone to work on their respective careers.
Yu Yao had thought that they were using a cold attitude to express their dissatisfaction with her and so she had tried to please them in even more clumsy ways, but she did not know that the more she did so, the more mistakes she made.
The Yu family had thought that she was showing off her status in the company by sending a love-filled lunchbox to her eldest brother. When she called her second brother to tell him about her troubles with her studies, she had received an answer that said, "Don't waste my time with stupid questions". When she had sent support to her third brother, her fans had suspected her of being an anti-fan because she wasn't familiar with the process. After her explanation, she was attacked online by countless people…
Yu Yao had lamented the misfortune of this heroine who shared the same name as her when she was reading the book. Now that she had become this very Yu Yao, she vaguely understood the longing for her family to acknowledge her. Her heart ached for this pitiful girl.
There's no need to pursue things that don't belong to you anymore. Yu Yao, I'll live well on your behalf. I'll love you unconditionally too. After all, we're the same person now, right?
Yu Yao touched her chest, her heart beating strongly; she seemed to hear the other Yu Yao's answer.
Yu Yao did not have the key to the villa, nor did she have her facial recognition data in the system. She pressed the doorbell and waited for nearly twenty minutes before the maid came to open the door.
The slightly plump middle-aged maid's surname was Zhang. When she faced Yu Yao, she didn't show her any respect at all. She rolled her eyes and complained, "You really know how to cause trouble."
If it had been the old Yu Yao, she probably wouldn't have been able to tolerate this kind of sarcasm. She would have used the shrewishness she had learned in the countryside to quarrel with the maid. Even if she won the argument, she wouldn't be respected by others—she would only be criticized by them.
However, the Yu Yao of the past was long gone, so she glanced at Auntie Zhang, not caring about this underling who bullied others thanks to her master's power.
Auntie Zhang, who was prepared to scold her, stood rooted to the ground. She was like a bloated toad that was about to attack a passing human but was being ignored. It was ridiculous.
Yu Yao had thought that there were only servants in the villa, but when she walked into the living room, she realized that there was a rather irksome person there too—Yu Wan.
Even at home, Yu Wan was dressed in an exquisite and expensive outfit.
She was walking down the stairs slowly. When she saw Yu Yao, she smiled.
"Elder Sister Yaoyao, you're finally back. My brothers and I have been very worried about you."
Yu Yao was too lazy to waste her time on her, and she planned to just stonewall her again.
Yu Wan's rank was much higher than that of the maids at home. She did not care if she received any response.
"But you also know that my brothers are all very busy. It's already rare for them to have time to ask about your condition. They can't wait around for you to come home, much less go to you personally."
However, when it was just the two of them, Yu Wan was never stingy with showing her evil side.
"Of course, it could also be because they can't develop such deep feelings for you in such a short period of time, so they don't really care about your safety."
Yu Wan was skilled at using words as a weapon. Every word she spoke stabbed at Yu Yao's heart.
She wanted to infuriate Yu Yao so that she would be forced to reveal her real rude and barbaric nature. She wanted everyone to know that this girl, whom she had painstakingly found, was incompatible with the Yu family.
Originally, this tactic that had been used to deal with Yu Yao was effective, but Yu Wan now realized that the Yu Yao she was looking at today was a little different to before.
She was not quarrelling with her angrily, nor was she attacking her directly. Instead, she crossed her arms and leaned against the sofa, looking at her with a calm and even somewhat playful gaze.
It was as if she was watching an interesting performance.
This knowledge made Yu Wan angry. She could not maintain such a casual and eccentric tone, and there was obvious malice in her words.
"Yu Yao, I underestimated you in the past. I didn't expect you to be so capable that you'd even be able to hook up with Third Master Qiao," she continued viciously. "I'm really curious, what price did you pay to get him to take you away from the mental hospital?"
Yu Yao could not ignore the probing in her words.
"You want to know about my relationship with Third Master Qiao?" Sensing the nervousness in Yu Wan's expression, Yu Yao said slowly, "How should I put it? Our relationship is quite complicated."
After a moment of shock, Yu Wan saw Yu Yao's mocking gaze. She became angry and raised her hand to slap Yu Yao's face.
"Yu Yao, how dare you?!"
Even the pitiful little girl from the past was not a good-for-nothing that she just allowed her to physically abuse her, let alone the Yu Yao now. She easily caught Yu Wan's arm, which was swinging toward her, and gave her a backhand slap.
That hand stopped less than a centimeter away from her face. The hair by Yu Wan's ear moved slightly due to the air rushing forward from the moving hand. She had already predicted Yu Yao's reaction and was not surprised by her counterattack, but she did not understand why she had stopped.
"You've become timid after staying in the mental hospital for a few days?" Yu Wan mocked. "How disappointing. Yu Yao, what's the big deal about a weak and useless person like you?"
Yu Yao gently patted Yu Wan's cheek and said in an intimate tone, "My dear sister, your plan is so simple that it can be seen through with one look. Why? Do you want me to slap you and then sow discord between me and the Yu family with scars?"
"No matter how simple the plan is, as long as it works, isn't it fine?" Yu Wan spat.
"Silly girl." Yu Yao shook her head and sighed. She looked at Yu Wan with a hint of affection in her eyes. "I'm in a good mood today. I'll teach you how to play some mind games."
Yu Wan did not know where Yu Yao's confidence had come from. "You? You really don't know your place…"
Before she could finish this sentence, she was interrupted by a sharp pain in her chest.
Yu Yao grabbed Yu Wan's collar with both hands and raised her leg abruptly, using her knee to hit Yu Wan in the ribs. Yu Wan doubled over and clutched the spot where she had been hit. Her face was pale from the pain, and a layer of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.
Yu Wan glared at Yu Yao with hatred. "How dare you…"
Seeing that she was struggling to even lift her head, Yu Yao kindly helped her, grabbing her hair and pulling it back.
"Little sister, look, this is the first lesson I'm teaching you." Yu Yao exerted more force, causing Yu Wan's face to contort.
"When you want to use an internecine strategy, you'll have to consider whether the other party will hit you where it hurts the most yet leave no marks."
Yu Wan endured the pain and questioned with difficulty, "Y-you're not afraid of being discovered?"
Yu Yao admired her expression, which was contorted with pain and hatred. She was in a good mood. "This is the content of the second lesson. When you cut off the surveillance cameras at home to do bad things, you also make things convenient for the other party."
From the corner of her eye, Yu Wan saw a figure walking into the villa. The moment she had been waiting for had finally arrived.
"Do you think you can do whatever you want without surveillance cameras?"
Yu Yao, on the other hand, had sensed that someone was approaching earlier than Yu Wan. However, she did not turn around, nor did she panic as Yu Wan had expected her to.
Yu Yao chuckled. "Sister, you have to listen carefully for your final lesson. This strategy of sowing discord can only be used on people who care about each other. So, even if your plan had succeeded, what effect would it have had on me?"
She tugged Yu Wan's hair with one hand, raised her other hand up high, and swung it fiercely at her face.
Then, she gently pushed Yu Wan to the ground.
Yu Wan covered her face and looked up at Yu Yao in disbelief. She did not understand why Yu Yao had dared to attack her so openly.
However, Yu Wan immediately changed her demeanor. Her face was full of tears as she aggrievedly said to Yu Jue, who had rushed in, "Third Brother, ah… Elder Sister Yaoyao hit me! I don't know what I did wrong! Third Brother, it hurts…"
Yu Jue had just entered the house when he heard the news of Yu Yao's return from the servant, Auntie Zhang. Before he could rejoice, he heard from Auntie Zhang that the two young ladies were having an argument.
He remembered that in his previous life, Yu Yao and Yu Wan had a bad relationship. The sisters often quarreled and sometimes even fought.
Yu Wan had a sweet tongue and knew how to act coquettishly. She always wanted everyone to know that she was injured so they would feel sorry for her.
Yu Yao, on the other hand, had to hide her wounds. Even as her older brother, it was not until after a long time that he realized how much she had suffered in the past.
The moment he awakened his memories from his previous life, Yu Jue had secretly sworn that he would never let her suffer such grievances again in this lifetime. He would trust his younger sister unconditionally and give her the firmest support he could.
Then, he would defeat his competitors and become Yaoyao's favorite brother!
However, seeing Yu Yao and Yu Wan standing, laughing, and crying together, Yu Jue was at a loss.
What could he do? The scene of Yaoyao being wronged was not happening. How was he going to continue acting as her reliable brother?
Yu Jue fell silent for a while, and Yu Wan's cries gradually died down.
Yu Yao, on the other hand, did not wait for Yu Jue to make things difficult for her. She shot a strange glance at Yu Jue, whose eyes were full of conflicting emotions.
Yu Wan stood up while sobbing and walked unsteadily towards Yu Jue. "Third Brother, Sister kicked me in the stomach just now. I think I'm injured. Can you take me to the hospital for a checkup?"
Yu Jue returned to his senses and subconsciously avoided Yu Wan, who was throwing herself into his arms. Then, he saw Yu Wan stop crying and reveal a look of disbelief.
Yu Wan was indeed the same as she had been in her previous life. She liked to pretend to cry to gain the sympathy of others after suffering a little injury. However, in his previous life, he had been an actor for decades. How could he be deceived by her clumsy acting now?
Yu Jue waved at Auntie Zhang, who was watching the show from the entrance. "Auntie Zhang, come over and help Second Miss to her room to rest."
Yu Wan and Auntie Zhang were both shocked by Yu Jue's unexpected answer. Even Yu Yao had to admit that she didn't know what her brother was thinking.
Among the three of them, Auntie Zhang was the most baffled. Her mind was filled with question marks. "Third Young Master, what did you just say?"
Yu Jue was impatient. "Was I not clear enough?"
Auntie Zhang hurriedly said, "B-But Miss Wanwan is injured? She was beaten up!"
Yu Wan also revealed a sobbing expression at the right moment and looked at Yu Jue pitifully.
However, there was no heartache or pity on Yu Jue's face.
Yu Jue looked at Yu Wan helplessly. "Wanwan, I know Yaoyao hit you, but she only slapped you once. How could she have hurt you?"
"Third Brother? How could you say something like that?" Yu Wan put down the hand that she was using to cover her face and showed Yu Jue the red and swollen palm print on her cheek. "What do you mean by 'only slapped me once'? Look at what she did to me!"
"Why is it so swollen?" Yu Jue was also a little shocked. He said to Yu Yao, who was watching the show, "Yaoyao, your arm must be quite strong now."
"Pfft…"
Even though she didn't like the Yu family, Yu Yao had to admit that she was delighted by Yu Jue's amazing response.
Realizing that he had made her younger sister laugh, Yu Jue was only left with a feeling of satisfaction and smugness. How could he even think of Yu Wan, whose face was red and swollen, looking miserable?
Yu Wan finally confirmed that there was something wrong with Yu Jue and Yu Yao today. She knew that Yu Jue had always been simple-minded and she had liked this aspect of him. After all, she could easily control Yu Jue and achieve her goal thanks to his stupidity.
However, Yu Wan had not expected that one day, Yu Jue would break out of her control and stop following her lead.
"Third Brother?! Why are you doing this to me?" Yu Wan lost her composure and cried, "You promised me that you would treat me as your biological sister. You promised me that you wouldn't treat Yu Yao better than me! Now, you're just watching her hit me and doing nothing to stop it. Do you no longer consider me your younger sister?!"
"Don't let your imagination run wild," Yu Jue placated her. "Of course you're my sister."
Yu Yao, who had been indifferent all this time, suddenly lost interest in watching the show. As expected, it was time for them to act out their scene as siblings who were deeply in love. She didn't want to stay and be their audience.
She also didn't want to be restricted by the Yu family's meaningless storyline.
She remembered that she had only returned to collect her identification documents, so she walked towards her room on the fourth floor.
Yu Jue subconsciously wanted to follow Yu Yao, but Yu Wan tugged at the corner of his clothes.
Perhaps the comforting words earlier had worked. Yu Wan probably felt that Yu Jue was still her good brother who would do anything for her.
"Third Brother, you admit that you've always treated me as your biological sister. You'll definitely stand up for me, right?" she wheedled.
Yu Jue was in a hurry to get to Yu Yao and improve their relationship as siblings, so she was feeling a little impatient. "Why should I?"
"Well, it's Yu Yao who's causing trouble for me. Third Brother, you've seen how serious my injuries are!"
"Wanwan, haven't you had enough?" Yu Jue frowned at Yu Wan.
"Although Yaoyao has a strong personality, she has never caused trouble with you for no reason. She only retaliated after you provoked her. What do you want me to do about it?"
This Yu Jue was too unfamiliar. Yu Wan opened her mouth but did not even know what to say.