As she thought of the past, the only thing Jing Yunzhao wanted to do was to give these people what they deserved. Unfortunately, she knew too well of her own powerlessness. If she were to do something right now, the one who’d su?er from consequences would be herself!

  “Jiejie (T/N: big sister), you’re awake? Thank god! Mom is already sick. I was scared you’d……” Qiao Hongye said as if she actually cared.

  Ye Qin’s face was stained with a deathlike pallor and she looked pale and unhealthy. Her vitals had already been a?ected. If Jing Yunzhao remembered correctly, Ye Qin’s passing should be near. They should’ve already started making their preparations.

  “Yunzhao, don’t you know any better?! Your mom’s still sick. Instead of staying home and helping her, you’re out there messing around with some hooligans. Do you know what would’ve happened if it weren’t for the policeman passing by?!” Qiao Weimin scolded, acting as if he was a good father.

  Jing Yunzhao had fainted and it was all thanks to Qiao Hongye.

  Jing Yunzhao was only 15 years old this year, but she’s already in high school. (T/N: According to Wikipedia, 15 is the age students should be finishing junior high in China.) Yesterday was Friday. When she was waiting after school for the bus home, a bunch of hooligans forced her to stay. They acted as if they were quite acquainted with her in front of the other students passing by. Afterwards, they took her into an alleyway. If it weren’t for a passing policeman, her innocence would’ve been spoiled!

  Originally, she didn’t even think that all of this had been planned. But after Ye Qin’s death, she had seen Qiao Hongye together with those hooligans. That was when everything became clear!

  Qiao Hongye was younger than her by almost a year. Jing Yunzhao had never thought that she would be this scheming and cruel!

  “Dad, you know my grades are ranked number one in the whole school. Even number two is far from catching up. Do you think a student like me would have anything to do with those hooligans? They were clearly bullying me,” Jing Yunzhao said without any qualms.

  If this were the past, she’d endure and apologize. But now, since she’s not planning to get along with them, why should she act cautiously?

  When Qiao Hongye heard what Jing Yunzhao had said, her face first turned red and then white.

  She, Jing Yunzhao, and Qiao Zizhou all attended the same school. The only di?erence was that her brother’s grades were horrible. He had gotten in via bribery. Additionally, although she had worked hard to get in, she was stuck in second place out of the whole school!

  Jing Yunzhao seemed like an unsurpassable mountain. Her grades were always better than hers. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, she was never close to enough!

  Qiao Hongye should actually be in the grade level right below Jing Yunzhao’s at her age, but when Jing Yunzhao entered junior high, Qiao Hongye and Qiao Zizhou got upset. They did all they could to make Ye Qin pull some strings to let them attend high school earlier. This resulted in all three of them being in the same grade.

  “Mom, my teacher said my grades can improve, but I just can’t focus on my studies lately the way Jiejie does. I’m too worried about you, Mom. I’m really scared. I can’t pay attention in class. I can’t even sleep……” Qiao Hongye said while hugging Ye Qin’s arm.

  The eyes that Ye Qin looked at Qiao Hongye with were always brimming with a?ection. She was her biological child after all.

  Jing Yunzhao’s heart grew cold.

  She respected Ye Qin. After all, Ye Qin had raised her for all these years. Despite this, she couldn’t help but feel cold and bitter.

  Ye Qin rarely showed such a loving expression to her. Even most of the smiles she had seen had always felt somewhat fake. Since she was little, she had been forced to do many things for Qiao Hongye. If she ever refused, Ye Qin would get mad and yell at her.

  In the past, she never understood why she, who was also Ye Qin’s daughter, was being treated so di?erently. But now, she understood.

  She was only a baby Ye Qin had found. In fact, Ye Qin was already pregnant at that time. She had wanted to throw Jing Yunzhao away, but she was scared of committing a sin. She couldn’t calm her heart, so she went to a fortune-teller. The fortune-teller told her that Jing Yunzhao may live a di?cult life, but to Ye Qin’s children, she will be a lucky star. She will fend o? evil and promise a peaceful future for her kids