Mei Yang stepped into the dining room, the soft morning light spilling through the tall windows and casting long, golden streaks across the polished wooden floor. The faint aroma of steamed buns and fried eggs mingled with the scent of fresh tea, creating the illusion of a peaceful morning.
Everything seemed calm, ordinary even—but Mei Yang knew better. She had learned, in her last life, that appearances were often a dangerous lie.
"Wow, Sister, the makeup really suits you," Yan Yang said casually, her tone light, almost playful. Yet there was a sharpness in her gaze that didn't escape Mei Yang's notice. Her eyes lingered, too long, too calculating, on Mei Yang's carefully done face, flawless and radiant under the morning sun.
Mei Yang smiled politely, lips curving gently. She didn't respond, letting the silence stretch like a thin, taut thread.
Was I blind in my last life… or just stupid? she thought. The faint mockery hidden in Yan Yang's words, which had eluded her before, now felt as obvious as a dagger pointed at her chest.
"Mei Yang," Hao Yang said, setting down his chopsticks with deliberate calm. His voice carried authority, but not anger—just measured expectation.
"Your sister's birthday is coming soon. Take her shopping. Pick out something nice for her. As for you, just get something simple—nothing fancy. Nothing eye-catching."
"Sure, Dad," Mei Yang said softly, her voice calm, steady, like a placid lake concealing sharp currents underneath.
"But… what about the money? Or do you expect me to pay with my own?"
Hao Yang waved a hand lazily. "Ah, don't worry. I'll pay you back."
The words reverberated in her mind. Those exact words… I heard them in my last life. Right before he drained me dry, left me bankrupt, and didn't even glance back. A small, knowing smile touched Mei Yang's lips.
"Okay," she said, nodding, her tone as neutral as stone.
Breakfast ended swiftly, the sound of clinking utensils and muted conversation fading into the background. Within ten minutes, Mei Yang had finished her meal and rose with quiet grace.
"Dad, I'll be heading out. I have something important to take care of," she said, her voice light, carrying the effortless composure she had perfected over her reborn life.
Before she could leave, Yan Yang reached out, her hand lightly touching Mei Yang's.
"I'm done too, Dad. I'll go with Sister Mei," she said, smiling brightly, too brightly.
Outside, Yan Yang trailed closely behind her like a shadow. "Sister Mei, why don't we stop by the mall first before going to Brother Li's place?"
Mei Yang tilted her head slightly, smirking faintly. "Oh? How do you know I'm going to Li Xiao's place? I never mentioned it."
"Sister Mei, you don't need to," Yan Yang laughed, a soft, practiced sound. "You go there almost every day."
"If you say so," Mei Yang replied, holding the car door open. She slid into the passenger seat with quiet elegance. Another day, another attempt to drain me. But this time… this time, the plan won't work.
The drive to SKP Mall in Beijing was smooth, the city alive outside the tinted windows, buzzing faintly with life. Mei Yang's mind was quiet, calculating, patient. She observed Yan Yang's idle chatter from the corner of her eye, noting every slight movement, every subtle twitch of excitement, every almost imperceptible spark of entitlement.
"Wow, Sister! I think this dress would look perfect on me," Yan Yang said, holding a glittering gown against her body and twirling slightly, as if performing for an invisible audience.
"Yes, it would," Mei Yang replied softly, her voice warm, almost affectionate. Each word, each smile, was carefully measured, a thread in the web she was weaving. I need them relaxed. I can't afford mistakes this time.
"But sis, this dress costs ten million yuan," Yan Yang said, blinking innocently. "Should I take it?"
"Of course," Mei Yang said, smiling gently.
"Take anything you like."
Yan Yang's eyes lit up immediately, a spark of triumph in her expression. She began picking dresses with reckless abandon, each one more extravagant than the last. Fifteen million… twenty million… the numbers seemed absurd, yet she clutched each gown like a treasure she owned.
In my past life, I believed she truly loved these clothes, Mei Yang thought, watching silently. Now I see the truth—she thrives on the thrill of wasting money. And once, I fell right into her trap.
Mei Yang stepped closer to a nearby sales assistant, lowering her voice to a soft murmur. "I have something important to handle. I'll be leaving now. And just to be clear… she's paying."
Without waiting for a reply, she turned and left the mall. Her heels clicked against the polished marble floor like the ticking of a clock, each step a silent countdown in Yan Yang's mind.
"Sis, how does this lo—" Yan Yang started, only to freeze mid-sentence.
She spun around, panic flashing in her eyes.
"Where's my sister?"
"She said she had urgent work and left," the sales assistant replied politely, serene as if announcing the weather.
Yan Yang's frown deepened. "She already paid, right?"
The assistant shook her head. "No. She said you would be paying."
A shiver ran through Yan Yang, icy and suffocating. She looked down at the pile of dresses in her arms, at the glittering price tags that seemed to mock her with silent cruelty. Fifteen million… twenty million… each number a weight pressing down on her chest. She hadn't even begun to prepare for this.
For a heartbeat, the mall was quiet, heavy, as if holding its breath. Then a soft, confident laugh reached her ears—Mei Yang's. Not loud, not mocking, just quiet and assured, carrying in its tone the kind of power that made people shift instinctively, subtly.
So this is what it feels like… Yan Yang thought, chest tightening, mind spinning. The tables have turned.
Her fingers trembled slightly, clutching the dresses. Every extravagant gown she held suddenly felt like a chain, heavy and impossible to manage. Her pulse quickened, fear and anger mingling into a knot she couldn't untangle.
Beyond the glass doors of SKP Mall, Mei Yang's smirk lingered like smoke in the air, unseen but deeply felt. She was no longer the one being used, no longer the pawn in their cruel games. She had the control now, and for the first time in her life, it was intoxicating.
And as she walked away, the city sprawling ahead of her like a stage set for her vengeance, Mei Yang knew one thing with absolute certainty: she would never, ever fall for them again. Not in this life, and certainly not in any life that came after.