Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  “En!” Lin Nuan nodded.

  Lin Ran saw Fu Huai’an starting his engine, so she followed suit.

  Lin Ran felt perturbed visiting Ji Yun.

  She admitted she was a selfish person, and she knew what it felt like to have her own mother treat another girl like her precious darling before her eyes!

  She didn’t know what Lin Nuan would feel seeing her meet Ji Yun. She kept feeling like she should spare others such an uncomfortable sensation after having experienced it herself, even if that someone was Lin Nuan.

  But Lin Nuan had taken Ji Yun away from the hospital, and Lin Ran didn’t even know Ji Yun’s new address. She couldn’t visit Ji Yun secretly even if she wanted to, only able to do it through Lin Nuan.

  Lin Ran’s hands tightened around the steering wheel as she followed the Maybach ahead of her. Her mind was replaying… things that happened in that poor family, and with Ji Yun.

  Her eyes reddened at those thoughts. With one hand supporting the steering wheel and her elbow against the window, she ran her fingers through her long hair. Her feelings were complicated and sad.

  Actually, it was quite cruel of her. After all, Ji Yun didn’t know what was going on at all, and all these years, she hadn’t been to visit her.

  When she was young, Lin Ran was embarrassed of Ji Yun, feeling like Ji Yun was the reason her classmates mocked her…


  She recalled that night in senior high school after class. Ji Yun, who was clearly a lunatic, was worried that it wasn’t safe for Lin Ran to return home by herself at night, so the silly her went to Lin Ran’s school to pick her up…


  Initially, Lin Ran had thought that no one would find out her mother was a lunatic once she entered senior high, that she could finally lead an ordinary life. But unexpectedly, Ji Yun caused all of her classmates to find out about it on the very first day of school. Lin Ran threw a temper tantrum when they returned home!

  After that, whenever Ji Yun went to pick up Lin Ran, she would quietly do so from afar and not dare go near. However, inevitably, Lin Ran was still mocked.

  One day after night revision, Lin Ran deliberately hung around in the classroom and didn’t go straight home. It started raining suddenly outside, and the rain didn’t look like it was going to stop quickly. A kindhearted classmate offered to send Lin Ran home. The minute the few of them came out together sharing an umbrella, Lin Ran could see the drenched Ji Yun standing at the entrance of the school, clutching onto the gates with both hands and standing on tiptoes as she peered into the school, like a nitwit.

  When she saw Lin Ran come out, in front of Lin Ran’s classmates, Ji Yun took out an umbrella from inside her coat, as if presenting a treasure, and smiled as she handed it to Lin Ran.

  Seeing the completely drenched Ji Yun, some classmates asked Lin Ran in a small voice, “Why isn’t your mother covering herself with the umbrella?”


  Lin Ran heard someone whisper, “Lin Ran’s mother is a lunatic!”


  After that, the group of classmates gave slight smiles as they left, saying that since Lin Ran’s mother was there to pick her up, they’d get going first!

  Standing at the school entrance, Lin Ran felt her fury rise to her head as she stared at Ji Yun…


  Lin Ran had a nagging feeling that those classmates were constantly turning their heads around as they ridiculed her. With her pale little face, Lin Ran walked forward in the rain, not once turning back to look.

  Ji Yun looked lost for an instant, but she still opened the umbrella and tried to shelter Lin Ran with it, showing no concern for the fact that the rain was pouring on her as well.

  Lin Ran grabbed the umbrella and threw it on the ground, then stomped on it several times while glaring at Ji Yun and hoping she would simply die outside! That way, she’d no longer be mocked again!

  Lin Ran clutched her schoolbag’s straps and howled at Ji Yun, “Didn’t I tell you not to come to my school? Why can’t you listen? Do you know you’re a lunatic? Your appearance will cause my classmates to laugh at me for having a crazy mother! Are you trying to drive me to my grave? Do you fancy hearing others shout that I’m that darned lunatic’s kid? I hate you! Why do I have to be your child? Why don’t you go and die!”


  After she was done shouting, Lin Ran ran home in the rain, leaving Ji Yun far behind her.

  After crying and getting out of the shower back at home, Ji Yun had returned, and she was standing at the door of the bathroom, completely drenched and dripping rainwater.

  However, once Ji Yun saw Lin Ran, she revealed her white teeth and grinned at her…


  Lin Ran felt her heart ache for Ji Yun, and she regretted asking Ji Yun to die amongst all of those harsh words. When she was bathing, she scolded herself countless times—how could she have said such frightening things to Ji Yun!

  But Lin Ran didn’t apologize and continued ignoring Ji Yun. She wiped her hair dry and leaned on the table to do her homework.

  In her drenched and wet state, Ji Yun didn’t change out of her clothes, going to cook for her instead. When she came out with a bowl of tomato egg noodles, Lin Ran saw her drenched appearance, and anger surged to her head once again. She slapped the bowl of noodles away and asked Ji Yun to bathe and change her clothes, then stay far away from her!

  Hearing Lin Ran asking her to stay far away from her, Ji Yun gazed sadly at Lin Ran, shaking her head vigorously. “Mama won’t be crazy anymore, Ran Ran. Mama won’t be crazy anymore… Ran Ran, eat! If Ran Ran doesn’t eat, you’ll get gastric pain! Ran Ran, eat…”


  Lin Ran’s tears came flooding down at this memory, and tears blurred her vision as she stared at the Maybach ahead of her.

  She wiped away her tears and placed both hands on the steering wheel. Her nose was awfully blocked. Only after Lin Ran inhaled deeply with her mouth, then let out an exhale, did she feel slightly better.

  Lin Ran recalled the time she called Lin Nuan from the UK, Lin Nuan said…


  “After the truth came to light, the Lins tried their best to make it up to you with all that you asked for. But I never had the chance to enter my birth mother’s heart. My biological father committed suicide out of guilt, not even leaving a message for me. Lin Ran, at least your parents are still around, but I no longer have a home…”


  Now that she thought of it, indeed, she occupied all of Ji Yun’s love.

  Recalling how she used to treat Ji Yun, as well as that man who was no longer around, remembering all that she had done towards them, Lin Ran felt remorseful!

  If she had known things would be like this, back then, she would have treated Ji Yun and that man kindly!

  And not be in diametrical opposition with Lin Nuan.

  Actually, in her heart, she understood that she and Lin Nuan were kids whose identities were swapped, and neither of them knew about it back then!

  If one could choose, who would willingly leave their biological parents?

  The only reason she felt that Lin Nuan was guilty of unpardonable evil was that the Lin family was well to do, while the Lu family was dirt poor.

  They reached the villa very quickly, so Lin Ran’s eyes and nose were still red when they arrived. She parked the car, drew a tissue to wipe away her tears and snot, and then looked into the rearview mirror to check if her eyes revealed signs that she had just cried. Only after refreshing her makeup and making sure she looked fine did Lin Ran get out of the car.

  A chilly wind blew at her, making Lin Ran’s heated up nose and eyes feel a sense of relief. She walked around to the trunk and took out Ji Yun’s favorite food, which she had bought for her, before raising her head to look at the beautiful villa before her.

  It seemed like Lin Nuan treated Ji Yun very well, having arranged for Ji Yun to recuperate at such a wonderful villa. The surroundings were tranquil, and the air was fresh!