An Earlier Meeting - Chapter 6.2

Chapter 6.2

Wang Yuhuan was amused by the playful question. Her eyes crinkled into crescents as she teased, “My precious daughter is still playing chess with the Duke of Zhou upstairs! Go on, hurry and get her. It’s time for breakfast.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Huang Xiaozhi replied cheekily and dashed up the stairs two at a time to wake her “Ms. Wen.”

She stopped in front of her mother Wei Qingwen’s door and politely knocked three times.

Knock, knock, knock.

There was no response, just silence.

Huang Xiaozhi waited for a moment, listening for any movement inside.

Still nothing, no footsteps.

She had wanted to knock again. It was rude to just barge into someone’s private space, even family, as she might disturb their rest.

She hesitated for a moment, then gently turned the doorknob and pushed the door open a crack. She poked her head inside and whispered, “Mom? Mom, are you awake?”

The lump of blankets on the bed didn’t move. She was clearly still in a deep sleep, with no intention of getting up.

Huang Xiaozhi was a little surprised.

She remembered her mom always getting up early to make breakfast at their small apartment. She never slept in. Then she understood: In that tiny apartment, her mother was the pillar of the family and had to take care of her daughter, so she couldn’t slack off. Now that she was back in her own home, with her own mother, she could finally let her guard down and rest.

A pang of sympathy went through Huang Xiaozhi’s heart. She quietly tiptoed back out and gently closed the door.

In the dining room, Wei Shuqun and Wang Yuhuan were already seated. Seeing Huang Xiaozhi come down alone, Wei Shuqun asked, “Is Xiao Wen not eating breakfast?”

Huang Xiaozhi shook her head and explained, “Let her rest. She hasn’t slept in a day since she and I started living together.”

Wang Yuhuan nodded, her face filled with tenderness. “That’s right, she worked hard taking care of you. Let her sleep. When she wakes up, I’ll make her something to eat. Come, Xiaoxiao, sit down and eat.”

Huang Xiaozhi sat down at the table.

The table held a simple breakfast: plain boiled eggs, a steaming bowl of white porridge, and a plate of crispy pickled vegetables.

Simple and unpretentious, but filled with the warmth of home. Eating something light in the morning was good, especially since she didn’t have much of an appetite anyway.

Halfway through the meal, Wang Yuhuan’s phone on the table suddenly rang. The ringtone was the lively and festive “Good luck is coming, good luck is coming…”

That ringtone was certainly down-to-earth!

Wang Yuhuan picked up the phone. The caller ID showed Wei Shun.

She pressed the answer button.

“Hello? Xiaoshun? What’s wrong?” Wang Yuhuan’s voice was full of concern.

Wei Shun’s voice on the other end was hoarse, almost gone, thick with a sob. “Mom… I… I want to go home…”

“Then come home! Do you want me to send a sedan chair to come get you?” Wang Yuhuan said, trying to sound casual.

“No… Mom… I…” Wei Shun’s words seemed to be stuck. Then, a low, steady, and magnetic male voice came through clearly. “Hello, Auntie. This is Pei Dan. Xiaoshun has a fever and is a little out of it, talking nonsense. Don’t worry. Sorry to bother you.” In the background, Wei Shun’s muffled sobs could still be faintly heard.

“What…? What? A fever? Is it serious? If it’s bad, you need to get him to the hospital right away! Don’t try to tough it out!” Wang Yuhuan’s voice immediately turned anxious.

“Don’t worry, Auntie. I’ll take good care of him. He needs rest now.” Pei Dan’s voice was calm and steady, with a reassuring strength.

“Oh, well, thank you, Xiao Pei,” Wang Yuhuan’s tone softened.

“It’s my pleasure, Auntie. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

After hanging up, the elderly lady’s expression became complicated.

She knew in her heart that Wei Shun’s “fever” was probably an excuse.

Looking at her granddaughter, who was watching her with a curious expression, Wang Yuhuan composed herself and hid her worry. “It’s nothing, just an old friend with a minor ailment. Hurry and eat. After you’re done, Grandma will take you somewhere fun!”

Although Huang Xiaozhi found her grandma’s reaction a little strange, she obediently nodded and continued eating her porridge. “Okay.”

…

Yu Zhong High School

Yu Wen had expected Zhang Yulin’s departure.

Perhaps she had already pieced together some of Zhang Yulin’s past from the subtle clues, or perhaps Zhang Yulin herself had intentionally or unintentionally presented certain story fragments to her.

In any case, Zhang Yulin’s departure was like peeling away an invisible shell that had been covering Yu Wen.

Now, Yu Wen sat quietly in her usual seat by the window. Her hair was in two neat pigtails, and a pair of slightly old-fashioned black-rimmed glasses rested on her nose.

Her gaze passed through the window, scanning the figures moving back and forth below the school building.

She was waiting.

She was watching.

However, that familiar figure never appeared.

A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes, then it returned to its usual calmness.

Alright, it seems Huang Xiaozhi is taking the day off.

Yu Wen’s gaze returned to the desk. She lowered her eyes, took out her notebook from the drawer, and spread it neatly on the desktop.

She adjusted her glasses and looked up at the teacher on the podium, who was assigning homework. She meticulously copied down every requirement.

The combination of the black-rimmed glasses and pigtails made Yu Wen’s already small, delicate face appear even more docile, childlike, and even a little fragile.

She habitually kept her head bowed slightly, her bangs half-hiding her eyes. As a result, many of her classmates had never seen her look at people directly.

At that moment, a tall male student hesitated and then stood in front of Yu Wen’s desk. He held a workbook in his hand, his voice a little ingratiating and nervous. “Yu Wen, could you… could you teach me how to do this problem? I’ve been thinking about it for a while and can’t figure it out…” He pointed to a math problem in the book.

Yu Wen listened, but she didn’t look up. She just shook her head slightly and pursed her lips without making a sound.

She was worried that if she spoke, the soft, deliberately maintained tone she used would break.

The boy’s face immediately flushed red. Many eyes in the classroom glanced over, with a hint of schadenfreude, and low whispers began to rise.

The boy was so embarrassed he wanted to disappear. He awkwardly pulled back his workbook. “Okay… alright, sorry to bother you.” With that, he practically ran back to his seat.

In the eyes of her classmates, Yu Wen was a weirdo: an introverted, solitary, and reclusive oddball.

Although her grades were top-notch, she seemed out of place with everyone, had nothing in common with anyone, and was always alone.

Good.

This was exactly the image she had worked hard to create.

Yu Wen knew exactly how she was perceived by others.

This was what she wanted—a “transparent person” who blended into the background and attracted no attention. This meant her carefully managed persona at school was a complete success.

The bell for the first class had already rung, but she still hadn’t caught a glimpse of Huang Xiaozhi in the crowd outside the window.

It seemed she really did take the day off.

Yu Wen stopped thinking about it, collected her thoughts, and got ready to listen to the lecture. The knowledge for sophomore year was not difficult for her. She had already systematically studied it over the summer.

Listening now was more a symbolic gesture to maintain her persona and to fill in any gaps. After all, the image of a good student could not be broken.

The sun was just right outside the window, casting light on the vibrant campus, full of youthful energy.

…

After spending a whole day playing with her grandmother and mother, Huang Xiaozhi felt her body and mind were filled with joy and contentment.

The three of them first went to the downtown shopping street with great enthusiasm. Wei Qingwen and Wang Yuhuan seemed to have endless energy, picking out several pretty outfits for Huang Xiaozhi and some new jewelry for themselves. They carried bags in their hands, returning with a full haul.

At noon, they had a sumptuous lunch at a restaurant on the top floor of the mall. After a short break, they eagerly went into a retro-style photo studio and took a set of warm family photos.

Under the flash, three similar smiling faces were frozen in a beautiful, timeless moment.

The afternoon was leisurely and pleasant. They went to the city library. In the quiet space filled with the scent of books, they each picked a book they liked and spent over an hour there.

After that, they found a cafe on the street, sat by the window, drank fragrant coffee, and watched the passersby rushing by, enjoying a rare slow moment.

Huang Xiaozhi had a small hobby of reading novels. She was willing to try any genre as long as it was interesting.

Wei Qingwen, however, was more picky, only interested in well-written, fast-paced mystery or historical novels.

…

The sun was setting. Only a faint orange-red glow remained on the horizon, gently painting the skyline.

Wei Shuqun had already prepared a feast at home.

He had gone for a walk in the park that afternoon, breathing in the fresh air, and was now full of vigor. When the sound of a car engine and familiar footsteps came from outside, the tempting aroma of his cooking had already filled the entire dining room.

Years ago, to win his beloved Wang Yuhuan’s heart, Wei Shuqun had put in a lot of effort to study cooking, mastering his skills.

He was a true model of a good man!

The three of them washed their hands and sat down at the warm dinner table. They chatted happily while enjoying the delicious dishes Wei Shuqun had carefully prepared.

The topics ranged from interesting things they saw while shopping to embarrassing family travel stories from the past, and they even planned future trips.

Who could say what the future would hold? It was full of unknowns and variables.

But living in the moment and enjoying the current warmth and happiness was the wisest choice.

…

Xinhu Community

Yu Wen sat alone at her desk. A lamp was on, and the light from the computer screen illuminated her focused and calm face.

She was meticulously searching for something on her computer, digging for information herself without relying on any assistants.

The screen showed her search history:

Zhang Yulin

Eldest daughter of the Zhang Group in City H.

Famous ballet dancer in Country M.

The following is public reporting: mainly describes Zhang Yulin’s inspiring journey to becoming a world-class ballet dancer.

Deeper information mining (non-public reports, requiring cross-verification):

Zhang Yulin (the name used in reports) was involved in a serious car accident in 2011 and subsequently disappeared from public view for half a year.

Zhang Yulin’s original name: Zhang Yunzhen.

Completely disappeared from the public eye in 2013, then suddenly returned in 2016 and went on to study at a famous dance academy in Country M.

…

Yu Wen expressionlessly closed the computer browser window. She leaned back in her chair and fell into deep thought.

Something’s not right.

She keenly noticed that all the timelines for Zhang Yulin had obvious logical gaps and inconsistencies.

Without deep thought and linking the clues, it would be easy to be deceived by the surface reports.

Under the dim light of the computer screen, Yu Wen’s brows were tightly furrowed.

She was thinking about a key question: how could one person be in two places at once? Was she using a stand-in? Or… did an unknown twin exist?

She picked up the yellow sticky note Zhang Yulin had left last night. Her fingertips rubbed the paper as she read and savored every word, every phrase.

Zhang Yulin was lying to her.

The person who signed the note “Zhang Yulin” was not the same person as the brilliant Zhang Yulin shining on the stage in Country M.

More accurately, she was more like a “replacement,” a “sister” who was pushed out to play the role of “Zhang Yulin.”

So, where did the real Zhang Yunzhen go?

Yu Wen got up and walked to a door that was usually locked.

She found the right key on a ring, inserted it into the lock, and turned it gently. With a quiet click, the door opened.

There were no windows in the room, only a single dim fluorescent light.

The most striking thing was the large corkboard display hanging on the wall.

It was covered with photos of people, newspaper clippings, and handwritten notes. They were all connected by thin strings of different colors, forming a complex web of relationships.

This was her real “workroom.” Her true skill was to gradually lure everyone into her carefully woven web. She took a clearly printed photo of “Zhang Yulin” and stuck it in the center of the board. Next to it, she used a red pen to write: Zhang Yulin #2 (Zhang Yunzhen? Stand-in?).

Then, she took a new blank sticky note and wrote in clear handwriting:

Core Question: Where did the real Zhang Yunzhen (Zhang Yulin #1) go?

She stuck this note next to the photo as well.

She gazed at the huge display board, which was covered in the faces of key people, notes, and questions. A slow, cold, and confident smile spread across her face.

She had been secretly investigating the Wei Group—the giant conglomerate and one of the top five financial groups in City H.

After a long investigation and confirmation, she had begun to collect key evidence.

Revenge requires ironclad proof.

Before leaving the room, her eyes fell on the shocking words written at the top of the display board in black marker:

Wei Group’s Day of Remembrance.

The date field remained empty. She needed to uncover the entire truth and collect enough evidence to destroy everything before she could finally fill in that date.

She couldn’t imagine what a commotion it would cause when everything came to light. She was not a merciful saint. She was Yu Wen, a person of flesh and bl00d who knew exactly who she was. She would repay her enemies and her benefactors.

The Zhang family had used incredibly cruel methods to kill her biological parents! She would never forget it! She also remembered that it was the Zhang family’s bodyguards who had personally sent her to the cold orphanage! Ironically, fate was a joke, and she ended up back under the Zhang family’s watchful eye…

This was the opportunity fate had given her.

A chance for a counter-attack.

She unceremoniously accepted this heavy “gift.”

She walked out of the room, carefully locked the door, and whispered to the silent hallway in a voice only she could hear:

“The countdown… has begun.”

She wasn’t living a life of forbearance and “cowardice” like Zhang Yulin.

She was going to make the giant Wei Group completely collapse and disappear from the map of City H without a trace, as if it had never existed.

…

A Week Later

A week passed by in a blur of intense studying and test preparation.

For Huang Xiaozhi, life was on a schedule: studying when she should, resting when she should. It was ordinary but fulfilling.

What else could she do at school? Nothing but study, study, and more studying.

And… get ready for exams.

…

On the second week of the school year, on Monday, it was the school exam day.

Huang Xiaozhi, as usual, walked into the classroom just as the class bell was ringing.

She didn’t have a habit of arriving early. Although she had planned to make a good impression at the beginning of the semester, after a few times, she just let herself be.

The impression had already been made, whether it was “good” or “bad” was out of her control.

Almost everyone was in the classroom. Only a few scattered seats were empty.

Xu Huimi had arrived early and was bent over, tidying up the stationery she would need for the exam, her expression focused. Su Li was the last one to rush into the classroom, cutting it perfectly—7:54 AM, two minutes earlier than last week. She deserved praise.

…

Once everyone was seated, the homeroom teacher Tang Yuan began her tired, lengthy pre-exam pep talk, which was always the same. She emphasized how important this exam was, how it was related to class placements, and that they all had to take it seriously.

Most of the students let these platitudes go in one ear and out the other.

As required, students were only allowed to bring necessary test supplies (pens, rulers, erasers, etc.). Their backpacks had to be either piled up on the floor in the hallway outside the classroom or thrown into a corner by the podium.

In short, the top of the desk and the drawer had to be completely empty. Otherwise, it would be treated as cheating, and they would receive a zero on all subjects.

Huang Xiaozhi was assigned to the first exam room—the gathering place for the top academic students and hard-working geniuses in the grade. Her seat number was 012.

The second row, second column.

It was a pretty good spot.

Okay, twelve it is. Where she sat didn’t matter. She could even take the exam on the podium and be fine with it.

The exam time was getting closer by the second. The pre-exam bell had already rung, but seat number 001 was still empty.

That was Yu Wen’s seat.

A quiet murmur of whispers started in the classroom. All sorts of guesses flew around: Was Yu Wen disqualified for cheating? Did something happen to her family?

These people really had too much time on their hands. They would come up with the most bizarre theories.

Luckily, Yu Wen didn’t let the gossip continue for too long.

Just as the proctor was about to announce the exam rules, holding a bag of test papers, a figure appeared, out of breath, at the classroom door.

It was Yu Wen!

Her signature pigtails were a little messy from running, swinging back and forth.

Her fair face was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Her black-rimmed glasses were in her hand, and she was wearing a large white face mask, which only revealed her eyes. They were wide and exceptionally clear from the running and anxiety.

All the whispers in the exam room were put on pause, instantly disappearing without a trace.

No one dared to gossip when the person they were gossiping about was right there.

Everyone seemed to be checking their stationery, but in reality, their side glances were all secretly and curiously directed toward the attention-grabbing figure at the door.

Huang Xiaozhi was different. She simply turned her head, her gaze locking directly onto Yu Wen.

Why use your peripheral vision? What can you even see clearly? If you’re going to observe, you have to do it openly!

In her heart, she wanted to press her face against Yu Wen’s to get a closer look. But since the exam bell was about to ring, she had to give up.

Now, her first impression of Yu Wen was that of a top-scoring good girl: docile looks, docile clothes, and excellent grades.

There was another thing she couldn’t ignore—she was very good-looking.

Huang Xiaozhi frankly admitted that she had a bit of a “soft spot for beauty.” Just by looking at Yu Wen’s eyes, she felt they were like a rose with thorns—beautiful, but also hinting at a sharpness that could hurt you.

Deep in those eyes, there seemed to be a subtle hint of “killing intent,” a sharpness hidden under a gentle facade.

However, if you didn’t look too closely, you could also just see her as a purely gentle girl.

The exam on Monday, and the grades and rankings would be released on Tuesday afternoon.

The school had a lot of teachers. Even though it was just a school exam, the efficiency of getting outside help or working together to grade was high.

On this exam day, the questions were of moderate difficulty. They weren’t tricky, but they did have a degree of distinction, as they were related to class placements. This time, many students who were usually lax put in the effort to answer the questions seriously.

Huang Xiaozhi was unsure herself if she could make it into the top ten of her grade.

This was her goal. She hoped her hard work would get the rewards it deserved. Of course, even if she didn’t make it this time, she would keep trying.

Over the course of the day, they mainly tested the three main subjects: Chinese, math, and English. Other subjects would be tested later.

…