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Achievement Unlocked: Secret Identity Exposed!

op_wen
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Synopsis
Qin Ran's Story: Qin Ran grew up in the rural countryside. During her final year of high school (senior year), she mysteriously disappeared for a whole year. After this unexplained absence, she took another year off from school. Now, a year later, her biological mother has brought her to the prestigious Yuncheng No. 1 High School as a special transfer student. Family Pressure: Her mother delivers a stark warning: Qin Ran's stepfather comes from a distinguished, noble lineage. Her stepbrother is a recognized genius. Her younger stepsister is a top academic achiever at the elite school. Qin Ran is bluntly told not to embarrass this illustrious family. The Master's Warning: Meanwhile, in the exclusive circles of Beijing's high society, influential figures privately receive a chilling message directly from the formidable "Jun Master" (Cheng Zihui): The Warning: "Listen carefully. My wife is from the countryside. She doesn't understand our social rules, current affairs, or financial trends... and honestly, her temper is terrible. So, consider this: Give her space, keep your distance, and above all – bear with her. Any disrespect shown to her will be considered a direct challenge to me."
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Chapter 1 - First Steps into Cloudhaven

At the end of August, under the scorching sun, the small town sweltered in the oppressive heat.

By the slightly dilapidated door of the health clinic's second floor, a girl lazily leaned against the wall. She wore a simple black-and-white checkered shirt, with the collar askew when she lowered her head.

Her sleeves were casually rolled up.

Beneath, she wore low-waisted jeans, slightly worn. As she moved, a slender, delicate waist was revealed.

Her beauty was striking beyond measure.

The nurse, seeing a man pass by the girl for the third time, handed her a lollipop and nodded toward the ward, "Ranran, have your parents arrived?"

Qin Ran lowered her head, unwrapping the candy, her long lashes drooping. When she bit into it, her eyes narrowed slightly, "I suppose so."

The nurse clicked her tongue. "Hard to tell."

With that, she hurried off with the medical records.

Inside the ward were Qin Ran's biological parents, Ning Qing and Qin Hanqiu.

They had divorced more than a decade ago, and Qin Ran had lived with her grandmother. Half a month ago, her grandmother fell ill and needed to be transferred to another hospital, prompting Ning Qing and Qin Hanqiu's return.

Qin Ran leaned against the wall, one leg slightly bent, her face expressionless as she listened.

Through the door, Ning Qing's voice was icy, "Qin Hanqiu, my mother's condition is serious. I'll take her to Yun City for treatment."

Qin Hanqiu looked at her, his gaze complicated, a mixture of sarcasm and something else, "Ranran's been expelled from school. No school in Ninghai will take her. You might as well bring her to the Lin family. They have connections and will surely find her a good school."

"I already married into the Lin family with Yuer, and now you want me to bring along another burden? How will the Lin family see me?" Ning Qing was clearly frustrated with his unreasonable demands. With Qin Ran's situation, finding a school willing to accept her was hardly a certainty.

At the time of their divorce, they fought bitterly for custody of their younger daughter, Qin Yu. After a protracted court battle, Qin Yu chose to live with her mother, and that was when the case was settled.

Qin Ran was left with no one to care for her, so her grandmother, Chen Shulan, took on the responsibility and raised her alone for twelve years.

Inside the ward, Ning Qing glared at Qin Hanqiu's mocking face, feeling the suffocating pressure. Compared to Qin Yu, who was well-behaved, who would want to raise a daughter known for fighting and troublemaking? Especially in a wealthy family like the Lin family, where such behavior would surely become the subject of ridicule.

Qin Hanqiu had been kidnapped as a child and brought to their town, a poor boy. Chen Shulan had seen potential in him, but after a few years of marriage, Ning Qing could no longer tolerate his lack of ambition. He worked only in construction, and so she divorced him.

After the divorce, Ning Qing remarried a wealthy man in Yun City, while Qin Hanqiu quickly remarried as well. His new wife bore him a son, and their lives prospered.

Ning Qing, however, still feared that Qin Hanqiu might cause trouble at the Lin family, which would bring even more shame upon her. Reluctantly, she had no choice but to bring Qin Ran back to Yun City.

"Ranran," Qin Hanqiu said as he exited the ward, seeing her leaning against the wall. He paused, sighed, and added, "The Lin family is wealthy. If you go with your mother, they will definitely help you find a school to finish your high school years. You might even get into university one day."

Qin Ran's chances of entering university were slim, but he merely said this in passing.

Qin Hanqiu, now burdened with supporting his son, had his own concerns. He still hadn't bought a house in the city, and he needed to plan for the future.

Before they left, his current wife had warned him not to bring Qin Ran back.

Qin Ran leaned back slightly, the clinic's corridor stuffy and lacking air conditioning, the heavy air pressing down on her. She lowered her head, her fingers absently tracing the second button of her shirt.

Her fingers were delicate and smooth, like polished jade, radiating an icy aura.

Her beautiful eyes, sharp yet indifferent, gleamed with an enigmatic coldness.

She paid no attention to Qin Hanqiu, unbuttoned the second button, then suddenly squinted her eyes and glanced toward the window in front of her, where a glint of light flashed in her eyes.

A few meters away, through the window, was an office.

In the office sat a young man in a white lab coat, his features striking and his posture graceful.

The new director of the clinic, Jiang Dongye.

Jiang Dongye glanced briefly at the luxurious sofa, out of place in the modest clinic.

Lying on the sofa was a man with slender fingers holding a cigarette, the smoke curling lazily. His arm hung casually, his gaze focused somewhere in the distance.

Jiang Dongye, following the man's gaze, looked out and asked, "What are you looking at?"

The man, dressed in a black silk shirt, lounged on the sofa, back against it, smiling. "Her waist is pretty slim."

He tilted his head slightly, his high nose bridge and fair skin contrasting with his half-closed eyes. His long lashes shaded his gaze, exuding an aura of aloofness and cool detachment.

His voice, husky yet unexpectedly clear, seemed to carry an air of coldness.

"Hmm?" Jiang Dongye flipped a page of the medical records, his attention still on the paperwork.

The man, Cheng Jun, stretched his long legs and leisurely leaned back on the sofa. A lazy smile tugged at his lips. "In a few days, after we finish here, you can head back to the capital."

"And you?" Jiang Dongye looked up, realizing the conversation was shifting.

Cheng Jun casually extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray, his tall form standing up. He brushed nonexistent ash from his clothes, his eyes cloudy with a hint of mystery. "I've got other tasks."

The black BMW was parked in front of the Lin family's villa in Yun City by 4 PM.

"Madam," a middle-aged woman in a blue shirt opened the door, surprised to see Ning Qing, along with Chen Shulan and Qin Ran.

Ning Qing felt a weight in her chest, her mood uneasy. "Zhang Sao, please take my mother and Ranran inside. Yuer's class will be over soon. I'll go pick her up."

Qin Yu was always chauffeured by the Lin family's driver.

Today, Ning Qing had come herself, clearly bothered, wanting to avoid facing Qin Ran at home and to get some fresh air.

Zhang Sao watched Ning Qing leave before casting a doubtful glance at the two women.

"Madam, Miss Qin," she said, her eyes briefly scanning them before she led the way, a faint smirk on her lips as she turned, making sure the two couldn't see her expression.

Chen Shulan walked in, taking in the European-style decor. She unconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes.

When they reached the hall, Zhang Sao was about to take out slippers for them but saw Chen Shulan simply walk in without changing her shoes.

It wasn't that Chen Shulan was unrefined—though from the countryside, she was quite particular about cleanliness. Her clothes and shoes were free of dust.

Zhang Sao's gaze burned into her back, but with her granddaughter by her side, Chen Shulan ignored it and stood up straighter.

She took a step back to change shoes, only to see Zhang Sao put the slippers away again.

The Lin family had plenty of guest rooms, but Zhang Sao, unsure of Ning Qing's current feelings, led them upstairs to a room on the third floor.

On the second floor, they passed a partially open room. Inside, a prized violin peeked from its stand.

Qin Ran glanced at it, intrigued.

Zhang Sao noticed and coldly remarked, "That's the second young miss's music room."

Qin Ran raised an eyebrow, lazily following behind Zhang Sao. Her thoughts drifted. It seemed Qin Yu was quite cherished in the Lin family.

The guest room upstairs was simple.

"This is the bathroom. The water heater should be easy enough to use," Zhang Sao said, as if speaking to people who had never seen such things before.

Qin Ran sat on the low table, one leg slightly bent. She absentmindedly fiddled with the flowers on the table, her sleeve rolled up to reveal a delicate wrist.

"Feel free to rest. If you need anything, just call me. I'll head downstairs," Zhang Sao said, offering a few more instructions before leaving.

Once she was gone, Qin Ran locked the door.

Chen Shulan stood still, gazing at the pristine room, lost in thought. After a while, she smiled. "That Zhang Sao seems... quite easygoing. But, after all, you and your mother..." She trailed off.

Qin Ran dumped the contents of her bag onto the table.

She raised an eyebrow at her grandmother's comment but said nothing.

Chen Shulan watched Qin Ran sort through her things, many of which were peculiar. The last time they visited, there had been a cold-looking gun on the table. Chen Shulan had been shocked, but Qin Ran had assured her it was just a realistic toy gun.

Qin Ran sat with one leg crossed, fiddling with her belongings—an unmarked laptop, looking almost brand new, with no brand. She placed it on the table carelessly, not giving it a second thought.

She pulled out a heavy phone and threw it down as well.

Her things were always messy. From the pile, she retrieved a white plastic bottle.

It rattled slightly, containing water. There was a chaotic scrawl of a "Q" on the outside, with a sticky note attached.

Qin Ran ripped the note off. It was covered with jumbled characters that seemed like nonsense to anyone else. She stared at it for a while before tossing it aside.

She pocketed the plastic bottle with a side glance at Chen Shulan, pausing only briefly before putting it away.

Not long after, Zhang Sao knocked on the door.

"The master and young master have returned and are downstairs. They'd like to meet you both."

Downstairs, Lin Qi and Lin Jin Xuan were speaking quietly.

After all, they were about to take in another daughter, and Ning Qing, hesitant to make a decision on her own, had called Lin Qi from the clinic earlier.

"I heard she dropped out for a year and was expelled for serious offenses. She's a troublemaker. Getting her into No. 1 High School might be difficult," Lin Qi frowned, worried as he considered Ning Qing's request.

He had assumed Qin Yu's well-behaved older sister wouldn't be much trouble, but now he was concerned. The Lin family had never had to deal with anyone with such a troubled background.

Lin Jin Xuan, with a disinterested expression, sat with one hand draped over the armrest, idly texting on his phone. He didn't even look up when Lin Qi mentioned Qin Ran, barely concealing his lack of interest.

But when he heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs, he unconsciously lifted his gaze and froze for a moment.