Chapter 86

Words : 774 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

When Ji Nian was awakened by the magnetic voice of the pink-headed turtle, her mind was still in a daze. She was still lingering on the dream she had last night. One moment, she was being bombarded with insults and oppression by her petty-minded mentor for not doing the chores. Then, the scene shifted, and she was in the laboratory, standing next to a little boy whose face she couldn’t see, curiously watching her work. “Hiss... I haven’t thought about this in a long time.” Ji Nian rubbed her head, mumbling in a vague yet surprised tone. Thinking of the little boy in her dream whose face she couldn’t see, she was lost in thought for a moment before muttering, “This Vengeance thing... better not have anything to do with you...” “Awake?” After receiving the message from the smart housekeeper that Ji Nian was up, Zhiliao knocked on the door and entered with the servants. Placing a box on her bedside, Zhiliao helped Ji Nian out of her pajamas, while a servant stood by with a freshly ironed school uniform. Habitually checking the child’s body, Zhiliao only relaxed when she saw no bruises from last night’s fall. The scars from Ji Nian’s past abuse had faded under careful care, leaving her skin as smooth as milk, so tender it seemed like it could be pinched and water would drip out. “What’s that, Sister Zhiliao?” Stretching out her arms and letting Zhiliao dress her, Ji Nian squinted at the box on her bedside. “It’s the necklace we sent for repairs.” Ji Nian’s eyes lit up, having completely forgotten about it. “So fast.” Zhiliao handed her the box, while a servant deftly placed a toothbrush in her mouth. With the toothbrush in her mouth, Ji Nian opened the box. The once dusty guitar pick had been cleaned up, and the frayed string had been replaced with an identical one by the restorer. “Huh? Still unclear.” Due to its age, the inscription on it had already been faded when Ji Nian first got it. Even after restoration, the words remained blurry. All that could be made out was: ‘DepuisChen**’ [Huh? Chen? I thought it was a foreign name.] [Could her birth mother’s surname be Chen? Or was the person who gave her this thing surnamed Chen?] Speaking of which, wasn’t it the Chen family that had a feud with her father? The system chimed in: [But Chen is a common surname.] As Ji Nian pondered over the item in her hand, a sudden thought struck her. [Wait, no, maybe we’ve been misled again?] Perhaps Ji Nian had been staring at the necklace for too long, because Zhiliao thought she really liked it and hung it around her neck. However, the elementary school handbook clearly stated that no accessories were allowed. Gu Xiuyuan, who had become student council president due to his fair and impartial nature, spotted the necklace on Ji Nian. He hesitated. What if Ji Nian got mad and stopped playing with him? So, Gu Xiuyuan, who had become student council president in second grade, put on a stern face, poked the discipline committee member next to him, and pointed at the school gate, saying seriously, “Look, someone’s running naked.” Discipline Committee Member: “Huh? Where? Where??” Seizing the opportunity, Gu Xiuyuan signaled Ji Nian to hurry inside. Ji Nian caught on. What a bro. Covering for her like this. “Good bro, come find me during break. I’ve got something fun for you.” Ji Nian pulled Shen Qingtang away. But she still took off the necklace and tucked it into her pocket. If a teacher saw it, Gu Xiuyuan would be in trouble. The first class was English. Ji Nian spent the entire period organizing the messy speculations from the morning into a coherent thread. Her birth mother had given birth to her, but due to Ji Tingzhou forgetting or some other reason, it had provoked the hostility of the second male lead... no, Teacher Mo Chen. This was probably why Mo Chen knew about her or had come to this school. Why “probably”? Because this was just Ji Nian’s speculation based on the current clues. She ran her fingers over the guitar pick, pondering. An idea formed in her mind. ... During the long break. Ji Nian put on the necklace she had been keeping in her pocket and headed to the office with her elementary school essay guide. She was going to test her theory. Was Mo Chen connected to her birth mother? What would his reaction be if he saw this necklace?

Chapter 86

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