Yana was born into a poor family, but her sister Tana rose like a golden phoenix.
Tana was bright and diligent from a young age, with her heart set on attending H University. She worked relentlessly, juggling studies and jobs to save money. For over ten years, she had little time to rest, focused only on making college both possible and affordable.
Tana achieved her goal; she got into H University with a scholarship, and her years of hard work paid off. But within two months, her world crumbled.
Rumors spread that her private life was chaotic, that she was “ruined” and “deserved it.” Lies.
After struggling to uncover the truth, Yana learned that Tana’s suffering started after she defeated Ruan Jiaojiao’s team in a debate competition. Within days, her sister was attacked and humiliated, her life forever scarred.
The attackers were affiliated with Hortes Group, an establishment under Hortes, who, at the time, was infatuated with Ruan Jiaojiao. It was impossible to believe that Hortes wasn’t involved.
Initially, Yana believed in Ruan Jiaojiao’s reputation as kind and fair. She thought Ruan Jiaojiao might be horrified to learn what happened and would want to help. When she confronted her, Ruan Jiaojiao responded:
“Hortes told me about Tana. She willingly joined that group; no one forced her.”
“I understand your sadness, and I sympathize with Tana, but…” Ruan Jiaojiao’s voice softened. “Sister, may I call you that? You can’t accuse people without proof. They did nothing wrong. Tana’s current state has traumatized them too. All are innocent here.”
“As a feminist, I can’t condone baseless accusations. Without fairness, men and women cannot trust one another. I only wish Tana would find peace and self-acceptance rather than focus on blame…”
Accept herself?
Yana felt her blood boil, but Ruan Jiaojiao’s words were recorded on H University’s surveillance cameras and circulated online.
Public sentiment sided with Ruan Jiaojiao, praising her empathy and poise, and calling Tana a “hypocritical mess.” People accused Tana of playing the victim, and the insults were relentless.
On the final night of November, Tana, barely sane, threw herself from a building, clutching the laptop she had bought with her hard-earned money.
With Tana’s death, Yana’s life was shattered. But for the wealthy elites who played with people’s lives, her sister’s story was a minor episode, forgotten the next day.
Yana despised Hortes, Ruan Jiaojiao, and everyone responsible for her sister’s suffering. She also hated herself, wondering if her confrontation with Ruan Jiaojiao had worsened things.
Driven by revenge, Yana transformed her appearance, vowing to take her sister’s justice into her own hands. She hadn’t expected that the opportunity for retribution would arrive so soon.
Returning to the hospital room, Yana smiled as she stroked Ruan Jiaojiao’s face. She dismissed the other nurses who had been cleaning her, saying, “I’ll finish up here.”
She then dipped a swab into diluted sulfuric acid and brushed it carefully across Ruan Jiaojiao’s lips.
“This little mouth of yours,” Yana murmured, “has said such considerate things.”
…
Ruan Jiaojiao was dreaming.
In the dream, it wasn’t just a dream but a glimpse into a life that was supposed to be hers, a life where she was the protagonist, adored by all.
She imagined a world like a novel or film, where she was central to everyone’s thoughts. The beginning was the same—she had grown up in the Zhao family and felt devastated when she learned she wasn’t their biological daughter.
Like the “protagonist” she was meant to be, she had faced rejection from Lin Zhiyu, her unrequited love, which had led her to leave her home and be reunited with her true family, the Ruans, who adored and pampered her.
In the life she should have had, the whole world loved her. She was envied, and respected, the pinnacle of elegance. Suitors, including Hortes, Marceau, and Wright, vied for her affection. Each stayed loyal, even chaste, in their devotion, unable to imagine loving anyone else.
In the dream, Lin Zhiyu, who had hurt her, suffered terribly—left mutilated in an underground pit, tormented, with no escape. Her every move held the attention of countless admirers; people were ready to worship her.
It was perfect.
Ruan Jiaojiao beamed in her sleep, as she believed this was the life she deserved. But then she felt pain, jarring her out of the vision.
She woke, screaming, as the sharp, searing pain brought her fully to her senses.
She realized her mouth was burning, and the blonde nurse in front of her was carefully swabbing her lips with something. Ruan Jiaojiao shrieked in horror.
“Ahhh! What are you doing?!”
The nurse just smiled and continued her work, saying nothing as Ruan Jiaojiao writhed helplessly.
As the fear intensified, Ruan Jiaojiao’s body reacted involuntarily, leading to yet another incident of incontinence. The nurse, unfazed, waved the smell away with a look of disgust.
“Seems you need a catheter,” Yana said dryly, putting away her supplies.
Taking out a bottle of diluted sulfuric acid, she poured some onto a fresh swab and smiled.
“I’ll help you clean your face, too.”
…
***
The next day, morning news sent shockwaves across Country M’s social media.
“Oh my God, is this real? Ruan Jiaojiao has been disfigured!”
“This is officially the wildest accident Maria Medical has ever seen. Who mistakes sulfuric acid for saline?”
“My worst nightmare come to life.”
“I heard Marceau’s suing the nurse, but it turns out she has a certificate of mental illness, so she won’t go to jail!”
“The burns were mostly superficial—fortunately, it was only diluted sulfuric acid.”
“My friend in the ER said Ruan Jiaojiao was ranting about being the heroine, about stuffing Lin Zhiyu in a vase or something.”
“Wait? What did Lin Zhiyu do to her? Isn’t he that scientist from China?”
“I don’t know. All I know is she’s gone completely insane.”
