Chapter 18: Rebuilding the Family
The days after Chen Zehao's last outburst passed quietly, almost peacefully, but Lin Xiao Yan was already planning the next steps. Danger had been driven away, but rebuilding what had been broken—her family's trust, their lives, and the fragile peace—was another challenge entirely.
The first morning back in the apartment, Xiao Yan sat at the small breakfast table with Hua Yichen and Liang Zhiwei. She carefully poured cereal into her bowl, then looked up with a serious expression.
"Mommy, Daddy," she said, "we need rules for being a real family."
Hua Yichen blinked, slightly amused but curious. "Rules?"
"Yes," Xiao Yan said, pointing to each of them with a tiny finger. "First, we always tell the truth. Second, we protect each other. Third, we face problems together, not alone."
Liang Zhiwei smiled faintly. "You're strict for a five-year-old."
Xiao Yan shrugged. "Someone has to be in charge."
That afternoon, they went to the studio for the first official "family arc" filming. Unlike before, Xiao Yan took the lead naturally. She guided Hua Yichen during interactions, subtly signaling which angles were best for the cameras, which challenges would show their strengths, and how to avoid any pitfalls Chen Zehao might have left behind.
Online, viewers reacted immediately. Comments flooded in:
"Xiao Yan is unbelievable!"
"Her mother looks happier!"
"Even the father looks… calm and genuine!"
The show's ratings soared, far surpassing the producers' expectations. Xiao Yan had turned what could have been chaos into a masterpiece of careful planning and subtle control.
Later, when the day ended, the family returned to the apartment. Xiao Yan climbed into her bed but kept her eyes open, thinking. The twin soul inside her whispered guidance and reassurance—they were ready for the next step: cementing the family's public presence and fully exposing the lies that had haunted them for years.
Hua Yichen watched her daughter from the doorway. "You're… remarkable, Xiao Yan," she said softly.
Xiao Yan blinked, eyes still calm and calculating. "I'm just doing what's right, Mommy."
Liang Zhiwei sat down beside Hua Yichen, his expression thoughtful. "She's… incredible. Strong, clever… and fearless. I don't know how she's so small yet so powerful."
Hua Yichen smiled faintly, a mixture of pride and awe. "She's ours. That's enough."
Outside, the city pulsed with life. The studio, the news, and even social media were all moving in response to the little girl who had changed everything. But inside the apartment, a small family sat together quietly, safe, and ready to face whatever came next.
Lin Xiao Yan lay down finally, closing her eyes. The twin soul inside her hummed gently, calm and aligned.
The past had been confronted. Chen Zehao had been neutralized. Her father was back. And the family, though fragile, was finally together.
Tomorrow, the world would continue its chaos. But tonight, Lin Xiao Yan, the strong loli who had survived betrayal, danger, and deceit, let herself rest.
Because she knew, with absolute certainty, that the future was hers to shape.