Volume One, Chapter Three: Severing Ties from This Moment Onward

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Upon hearing this, Lu Nanfeng withdrew his hand. He went downstairs and saw Qin Xiang’s flushed face; her temperature was clearly abnormal. “I’ll get the car. We’re heading to the hospital immediately.” Lu Nanfeng, accompanied by Lu Bei, took Qin Xiang to the hospital.

Upstairs, in the bedroom on the second floor, Lu Ning lay on the bed, her face burning red and sweat pouring from her. Throughout the night, her body felt light and unreal, plagued by relentless nightmares.

The next morning, Lu Ning’s phone kept buzzing with notifications. Awakened by the noise, she opened it with a scowl. The private messages from a certain app were almost entirely filled with insults. She was no stranger to such abuse, as the incident where she pushed Qin Xiang into the water had been spread on the campus forum.

Qin Xiang was quite popular at school, and many were outraged, flooding Lu Ning with curses. Her head throbbed as if it might burst, and she personally jumped into the verbal battle. Using her mother as the subject, relatives and reproductive organs as adjectives, she unleashed a full-blown verbal assault.

The forum thread exploded to thousands of replies, frightening the administrators into thinking the site had been hacked. After sending those messages, Lu Ning tossed her phone aside and laid back down. She no longer needed to curry favor with the Lu family or care about her reputation. She refused to live so stiflingly anymore.

Soon, a knock came from outside the door. “Miss, it’s time to get up and go to school. You’re going to be late.”

Oh? Lu Ning suddenly remembered she had school today. She washed her face with cold water to wake herself up. To break free from the Lu family, she had to finish her schooling and get into college far away.

After changing into her uniform and grabbing her bag, she went downstairs. Lu Nanfeng and Lu Bei were just returning home. Seeing her flushed face, Lu Nanfeng habitually reached out to check her forehead for a fever.

But Lu Ning stepped back, dodging his hand, and turned to sit in the dining room. She needed to eat well to recover quickly and have the energy to study hard for Yunnan University.

Lu Nanfeng’s hand hovered awkwardly before he lowered it. Lu Bei snorted coldly, “I told you she’s ungrateful and as tough as an ox. Unlike Xiangxiang, who’s always been frail and caught a cold after falling into the water last night. No matter who falls ill, Lu Ning never does!”

Lu Nanfeng said nothing further—indeed, Lu Ning had always been robust. He approached the table. “Xiangxiang is sick and will be at school for the next few days. You must take good care of her until she recovers. Understand?”

He felt Lu Ning was growing increasingly wayward and couldn’t spoil her as before. Since she didn’t appreciate kindness, he would force her to learn it.

Lu Bei added, “Lu Ning, Xiangxiang’s father saved your life, and you almost killed her. You must care for Xiangxiang properly to atone for your sins!”

Lu Ning lowered her head and ate breakfast seriously, forcing herself despite a lack of appetite.

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There were less than a hundred days until the college entrance exam. After that, she could finally leave the Lu family.

Lu Bei, displeased with her indifferent attitude, snatched her chopsticks. “I’m talking to you—do you have ears or not?”

Lu Ning looked up; her eyes were stark and silent.

Lu Bei’s tone was commanding: “When Xiangxiang takes her medicine, go get warm water for her. At noon, get her lunch from the cafeteria quickly so it doesn’t get cold. She’s having trouble using the restroom; you must accompany her. Her father saved your life—this is your duty. Got it?”

Lu Ning replied coldly, “Got it.” But she made no promise to comply.

Expressionless, she left the villa, looking up at the sky as she forced back tears. She thought a second chance at life would spare her pain, but hearing her fourth brother’s words made her heart ache like needles piercing it.

She recalled when she was sick as a child—her second brother Lu Nanfeng stayed up all night by her side, and her fourth brother Lu Bei told jokes to make her take medicine. But because Qin Xiang was frail, the brothers always prioritized her when she was ill.

Afterward, even if she had a fever, she had to endure it alone.

Swallowing the bitterness in her throat, Lu Ning got into the car and closed her eyes to rest. Just a little longer—less than a hundred days remained.

At school, she went straight to the senior classroom. Upon entering, the usually noisy room fell silent. Her verbal tirade on the campus forum had spread, and everyone wondered if she had gone mad.

“Who knows what kind of trauma Lu Ning suffered to give up like this?”

“I think she’s finally stopped pretending because there’s no way to clear her name. This is her true self.”

Lu Ning ignored the hushed whispers around her, dropped her bag, and laid her head on the desk to sleep. She slept through the entire morning.

After lunch, Qin Xiang entered the classroom, still hooked up to an IV. Her arrival instantly drew sympathy and concern from classmates.

Lu Ning frowned and shifted her position, continuing to sleep.

Soon, someone pounded on her desk. Irritated, Lu Ning looked up, her dark eyes sharp and tinged with hostility.

She saw Qin Xiang standing there, flanked by two impatient followers. Lu Ning narrowed her eyes. These two were Qin Xiang’s usual cronies—often spreading rumors, bullying her in groups, and fabricating evidence to complain to her brothers.

Xiangxiang spoke weakly, “Ningning, what do you want for lunch? I’ll get it for you. Please don’t be mad at me anymore.”

Lu Ning replied coldly, “No need.”

Follower one snapped angrily, “Lu Ning, don’t be shameless. Xiangxiang’s the one who’s sick.”

“Yeah, Lu Ning, you should take care of Xiangxiang at school because you’re the reason she’s ill.”

Xiangxiang coughed weakly twice. “Stop it, please. I can take care of myself—I’ve always been alone. Don’t say more; don’t make her angry.”

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“Xiangxiang, you’re just too kind, which is why you’re bullied like this.”

Lu Ning grew impatient and stood to leave the classroom.

As she stepped out, Qin Xiang suddenly rushed forward, knocking over the IV stand. It crashed to the floor, and Xiangxiang fell onto broken glass.

What a coincidence—her mother’s “coincidence” had truly opened the door for this one.

The classroom erupted into chaos, giving Lu Ning a splitting headache. She opened her mouth to say something, but everything went black, and she fainted.

When Lu Ning regained consciousness, the smell of disinfectant filled her nose. Was this the school infirmary?

“Your temperature’s 39 degrees. Holding out this long—trying to experience human barbecue?”

Lu Ning turned her head and saw a tall, slender man in a white coat wearing a mask. His features were cold and sharp.

She recalled he was the new school doctor, handsome enough to attract many girls’ attention, but with a particularly sharp tongue.

The school doctor seemed to leave shortly after.

Sitting up, Lu Ning felt much better—the IV must have helped.

Lowering her eyelids, she asked, “Can I leave now?”

“Wait for your family to pick you up. I don’t want you dying on the way; I’m not responsible for that.”

Ji Chi Qian sat in a chair, his voice unusually casual.

Indeed, a sharp-tongued school doctor.

Her voice hoarse, she said, “I don’t have any family.”

Just then, Lu Bei’s anxious voice came from outside. “Xiangxiang, are you okay? How did you get hurt so badly?”

“I just have some scratches. Don’t blame Ningning. She didn’t mean it. I was clumsy and knocked over the IV stand myself.”

Follower one added fuel to the fire, “That’s not true! Xiangxiang offered to get Lu Ning’s lunch, but Lu Ning refused and deliberately tripped her. We all saw it.”

Follower two agreed, “Exactly. Even though Xiangxiang was sick, she still cared if Lu Ning ate. But Lu Ning was so cruel and pushed her down!”

After hearing this, Lu Bei’s anger flared up like a spark igniting dry grass.

Suppressing his rage, he shouted, “Where is Lu Ning? Come out now! How dare you make Xiangxiang get your lunch? Her father should have let you die in that car accident so you wouldn’t torment his daughter!”

Hearing this, Lu Ning twisted the corner of her mouth, revealing a mocking smile. Just like in her past life, whatever Qin Xiang said, went.

The next moment, the curtain beside Lu Ning was forcefully pulled aside.

She looked up, pale-faced, lips white and chapped, her entire being weak and sickly.

“Lu Ning, you...”

Lu Bei saw her condition and choked on the rest of his words.