The sun blazed relentlessly.
Xu Yuan found herself ousted from the villa, her luggage tossed out with her.
A well-dressed, high-status young woman was standing inside the villa, peering at Xu Yuan's sunburned face with undisguised disgust.
"Aren't you ready to leave?"
"I guess not. After all, from now on, you'll have to return to the island and assist your rustic parents in fishing and farming every day. Having three meals of simple pickles daily. This kind of villa, let alone living in, is probably a luxury for you even to take a glance!"
Hearing this, Xu Yuan quietly stared at this woman who she had referred to as 'mom' for seventeen years.
"I'll wait till grandma wakes up."
"Huh, my dear old lady has her own genuine granddaughter to care for. With Qianqian here, what use is the futile attempt of your fake, hypocritical filial piety? Ms. Huang, kick this imposter out," Bai Xiuya gestured dismissively.
"Wait a minute…" Just then, the young lady standing behind her timidly spoke up:
"Big sister, I remember grandma gave you a jade pendant before. I really like that pendant. Could you let me take a photo of it, so I can find a similar one?"
The young lady had fair skin and an innocent face; her custom-tailored outfit draped over her made her look as fragile as a willow. Especially her deer-like eyes, always slightly misty, stirred up one’s protective instincts.
It was Xu Qianqian, the true heiress of the Xu family, who just acknowledged the family last month.
"Why do you have to find a similar one? That pendant is originally ours. Since she is no longer a part of the Xu family, it only makes sense that she returns it! Not only that, we should also thoroughly inspect her luggage just in case she steals anything she isn’t supposed to. Ms. Huang—" Bai Xiuya ordered before being interrupted.
"Madam."
"Open her suitcase!"
"Yes."
Aunt Huang stepped forward, and Xu Yuan watched as her suitcase was opened, the items inside individually tossed onto the ground.
T-shirts and pants bought from street vendors, a few books...
"What is this?" Aunt Huang caught sight of an old-fashioned box and looked towards Bai Xiuya.
Bai Xiuya hadn't seen the box at home either, but upon seeing it, it seemed to be used for storing valuable items, she sneered unwillingly.
Indeed, a pauper will always be a pauper. How could she possibly leave without taking something?
"Open it."
"Yes, madam." Aunt Huang didn't hesitate.
"Hey hey hey, host, did you actually take something from the Xu's house?"
"What do you think?" Xu Yuan listened to the voice in her mind, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
Since childhood, she always knew that Bai Xiuya didn't like her. At that time, she thought it was because of her looks, so she tried desperately hard to please Bai Xiuya.
The box was opened, filled generously with more than dozen medals.
Bai Xiuya frowned, not remembering them at all.
"What are these? Aunt Huang, check if there is any stolen jewelry at the bottom."
Behind her, however, Xu Qianqian's eyes drastically narrowed after recognizing a few of the medals.
A flicker of jealousy flashed through her eyes as she looked at Xu Yuan, but when her gaze swept over her nauseating face, Xu Qianqian's heart settled back down.
Her deer-like eyes were filled with pity: "I never knew that my sister had won so many awards. It's a pity that she missed the college entrance exam. I wonder if she could continue studying when she goes back home."
Saying that, as if she had thought of something, she took out a card and handed it to Xu Yuan.
"Oh, sister, this card contains the eight thousand yuan I earned from my part-time work. I won't take Grandma's jade pendant for nothing. Take this, it should come in handy on the island."
Bai Xiuya, standing aside, immediately disapproved upon seeing this.
"Qianqian, you're just too kind-hearted. She hurt you like that and you're still thinking about her? Besides, that jade pendant initially belonged to our family, isn't it rightful that it's returned?"
"Mum, I believe that maybe...sister didn't do it on purpose. Anyway, I've forgiven her. Mum, can you forgive her too?" Xu Qianqian's eyes were moist.
Bai Xiuya's heart softened at once: "Alright, alright, we'll do as you say."
After speaking, she raised her head to look at Xu Yuan, her face full of mockery once again.
"Take it. This eight thousand yuan should be enough for you to use on the island for a few months. I heard you have five brothers back home. They probably think that acknowledging you as their sister can help them get a dowry, but with your appearance..."
Bai Xiuya pursed her lips, the implication clear.
Looking at this mother-daughter duo, speaking freely and pretending to be gracious in front of her, Xu Yuan found it extremely laughable.
Her appearance, wasn't it the result of their and Xu Family's "favor"?
The red acne on her face was the result of a high fever she had when she was two years old.
At that time, both the Xu family and Bai Xiuya told her it was an incurable disease, and she never doubted them.
It wasn't until three days ago when she was punished for "wanting to expose Xu Qianqian" and missed the college entrance examination, nearly dying of thirst, that something called the "Metaphysics Exchange System" appeared in her mind.
She then realised that she was just a substitute for Xu Qianqian to bear the resentment!
"No need. This jade pendant was a gift from my grandmother, I couldn't possibly give it to you. Also,"
Xu Yuan glanced at Bai Xiuya before saying: "You have depressions on your face, and your cheekbones are turning black. You'll be plagued by illness soon. Instead of giving me thousands of dollars, you'd be better off donating it to those in need. Performing good deeds may help dispel the misfortune on yourself."
"Of course, if you commit too many wrongs, misfortune will naturally follow you. A few thousand dollars will probably not be enough."
Xu Yuan's words instantly angered Bai Xiuya, who raised her hand to slap her. "How dare you curse me?!"
However, the next moment, Xu Yuan reached out and effortlessly caught the pampered Bai Xiuya's slap.
Without any hesitation, she flung Bai Xiuya's hand back, causing her to stumble and almost fall to the ground.
"You, you little beast! You're completely out of line!" Bai Xiuya was incredulous.
In her mind, Xu Yuan had always been obedient, always doing as instructed, never defying her. To win her favor, Xu Yuan would even kneel and crawl from the foot of the mountain to the top, all for a peace amulet.
And now, she dared to curse her? To resist her?!
"Host, the life exchange has been completed, your grandmother has woken up," the system's voice echoed in her mind again.
Xu Yuan pursed her lips, her gaze falling on the villa inside.
If there was anyone who could make her feel attached to the Xu family, it was only her grandmother...
"Big sister, how could you treat mom like this?" Xu Qianqian supported Bai Xiuya, her eyes full of blame when she looked over at Xu Yuan.
"Heh, almost forgot about you."
Xu Yuan curled his lips, his dark eyes falling on her.
Unconsciously, Xu Qianqian stepped back half a step.
"If you slander and defame others in life, you're bound for the Eighteen Levels of Hell after death - a place where demons rip out tongues. Imagine them piling open your mouth, hooking your tongue with pincers, and tearing and tugging it out bit by bit, until....."
With a resounding "snap"...
Xu Yuan dramatically mimicked the action of a tearing tongue.
Xu Qianqian shuddered in fright.
By the time she regained her senses from the fear, Xu Yuan had already picked up his suitcase and turned to leave.
"Wait...Mother, Granny's jade pendant is still with her..." Xu Qianqian hurriedly reminded.
Bai Xiuya was about to send someone after them when a servant rushed out of the mansion anxiously: "Madam, the old madam has woken up."
Bai Xiuya's expression changed at once. Glancing at Xu Yuan's departing figure, she snorted, "Never mind, it's just a jade pendant. Let her have it. It's not even of high quality. If you want one Qianqian, I'll take you to buy a raw jade and have it custom-made."
But what Xu Qianqian really wanted was the treasures Xu Yuan was carrying.
She watched Xu Yuan's retreating figure with resentment, knowing that with the old madam awake, they may not be able to send Xu Yuan away. All she could do was nod in reluctant agreement.
"Alright, I'll listen to Mother."
——
"Host, what are you planning to do next?" In Xu Yuan's mind, a pink chubby mushroom twisted and turned.
It's a mystical exchange system that just bound itself with Xu Yuan three days ago.
As long as you use merits, you can exchange with it any mystical arts or tools of corresponding value.
Xu Yuan has exchanged twice in these three days.
On one occasion, she used two hundred merits to exchange for two months of life for Grandma Xu; the other time, she used the remaining one hundred and fifty merits to exchange for the basic mystical art of fortunetelling faces.
"Of course, first I’ll go home." Xu Yuan took out a piece of paper.
The number on it was supposedly left by her family.
When Xu Yuan dialed it, there was no answer for a long time.
Not until it was about to automatically hang up, did a deep male voice come over, "Hello, who is it?"
Xu Yuan was silent for a moment.
"Speak up, or I'll hang up." The man on the other end seemed a bit displeased, and Xu Yuan faintly heard someone rushing him.
"I am Xu Yuan." Xu Yuan spoke.
This time the silence transferred to the other end.
"Big brother, what are you doing? Hurry up, I'm starving to death, oh by the way, did you bring me a birthday present this time?" Suddenly, a playful female voice came from the other end of the phone.
