Yun Ya couldn’t bear to look anymore and practically fled from the bedroom. She ran to Yun Miao’s room, where Yun Miao was sitting on the bed, flipping through a picture book. Bursting with emotion, Yun Ya threw herself into his arms. Yun Miao paused, then turned his head to look at her. His eyes were filled with worry and questioning. "I lied to Aunt Die, and I lied to Uncle Qin, am I very bad?" she said as tears began to stream down her face. Yun Miao gently raised his hand to wipe away her tears, offering her a tender smile. Yun Ya lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes brimming with tears. [Yaya, whatever you do, you must have your reasons. Aunt Die and Uncle Qin will understand.] Tears poured down Yun Ya’s face like rain. Newest update provided by novelꜰire.net [Don’t cry.] Yun Miao carefully dabbed at the tears on her face, his eyes filled with heartache. Suddenly, Yun Ya grabbed his hand. Yun Miao raised his gaze to meet hers. "Do you remember Mother?" Yun Miao was taken aback for a moment, but then his eyes gradually darkened, and his expression turned cold. His intelligence might be impaired, but that didn’t mean he was a fool. He would always remember that woman’s cold, disdainful gaze and the slaps that fell upon his face, as well as the relentless mockery and abuse on that rainy night. That was the only nightmare of his life. If there was one person in this world he hated the most, it was undoubtedly the mother in his memories. After so many years, much of his memory had blurred, but that hatred had taken root and grown over time... This was the first time Yun Ya had mentioned Ji Lanyi in front of Miao Miao since she disappeared. She hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from Miao Miao. Of course, how could he easily forget the torment she inflicted on him? Holding his face in her hands, Yun Ya looked straight into his eyes, "Miao Miao, don’t be afraid, I won’t let anyone harm you." Yun Miao stared at her lips, his own lips silently parting. Yun Ya understood his lip-reading, "Is she, coming back?" Yun Miao had always been intelligent, not at all foolish. He understood all that he needed to, but he had kept too much of the world at bay, naive and unworldly pure. He knew Ji Lanyi had disappeared. He knew about the persecution from Yun Shu and Yun Shen. More importantly, he knew how hard Yun Ya had worked to take care of him over the years. All he could do was try his best to ease her burdens. In his memory, Ji Lanyi was a tigress, a big villain who bullied both him and Yun Ya. How was Yun Ya to explain? What was their mother to them now... Blood relation? Enemy? Nemesis? What words could describe the relationship between them? Yun Ya had never felt so powerless. She rested her head against Yun Miao’s chest, thinking of the disappeared Kang Jinse sisters and Yun Shu, of Dong Xieyou, and of the unknown dangers they were about to face--like a sharp blade hanging over her head, invoking a deep sense of powerlessness and despair within her. And all of this stemmed from their biological mother—yes, a mother only by biological definition. Besides that, there was relentless hatred between them. Relentless hatred—what a shocking description, yet it was the most genuine sentiment in her heart. She dreamed of killing Ji Lanyi with her own hands. Indeed, she was becoming more and more twisted. Ji Lanyi probably couldn’t wait to kill them both. Otherwise, why wouldn’t she show herself directly? Why has she hidden all these years, only to emerge like a cricket in the autumn, after Yun Ya has taken each rival down, putting her under pressure from the shadows? What exactly does she want to do? Suddenly, a shiver ran through Yun Ya, and she remembered. In her previous life, Yun Miao died, and she died, but where was Ji Lanyi? Did she watch them die with glee? Was she celebrating their deaths? Yes, that must be the only explanation. Otherwise, Ji Lanyi would have finally stirred from her seat now that Yun Ya was fighting back in this life. A sense of bleakness suddenly overwhelmed Yun Ya. Or rather, she realized that the tragedy of her and Miao Miao in their previous life was orchestrated by Ji Lanyi. Ji Lanyi had the power to save them but chose to watch them die instead. This was their own biological mother. This explained everything. She and Miao Miao were her shame, the blemishes in her life. Such a proud person as Ji Lanyi wouldn’t allow their existence. She had to eliminate that which shamed her, that was her style. Now, Yun Ya felt like a fish on a chopping board, or more precisely, like a mouse trapped in a cage. Ji Lanyi would amuse herself with them when she pleased, or kill them with a flick of her hand when not. Their fate depended entirely on her mood. "Heh...heh heh..." The thought of Miao Miao’s tragic death in the past life and her own dismal end prompted a hollow laugh from her. What was the point of their existence? Yun Miao tenderly held her, gently patting her back as she had done for him countless times, comforting her with the same gentleness and patience. She clutched at the front of his shirt and broke into heart-wrenching sobs, as if to weep out all her grievances and sorrows. In this world, only Miao Miao could unconditionally embrace her willfulness and tears.