Big brother...
Did he already know all of this?
He had known all along that she was not the biological daughter of the Lu family.
He had known all along that this storm, powerful enough to shatter all her pride and dignity, would inevitably arrive.
That's why he had to push her away before the storm hit.
Using the most forceful, even the most ruthless method, he pushed her away.
Pushed her to a place far from the hustle and bustle of fame and fortune in Jingzhou.
Pushed her into a completely unfamiliar and harsh environment.
Forced her to learn, to grow, to transform.
Forced her to find a value system that would allow her to stand on her own, independent of the identity "Lu family heiress"!
He had shielded her from all the impending storms and waves.
He alone, in Jingzhou, faced that long-foreseen storm.
Silently, bearing everything.
When Lu Qianqian understood this, her heart ached even more, so much it was hard to breathe.
That pain wasn't for the exposure of her origins.
It was heartache for her big brother.
For that big brother who silently shouldered everything for everyone.
Lu Qianqian's tears finally broke through, uncontrollably.
But she didn't cry out loud; she just pressed her hand tightly over her mouth.
Ji Wushuang stood right beside her.
She didn't speak.
She didn't offer comfort.
She simply reached out and gently embraced her.
Using her own figure to shield Lu Qianqian from the curious glances around them.
Ji Wushuang's frame wasn't particularly tall, yet she was like a mountain—silent and reliable.
Lu Qianqian quickly steadied her emotions and stopped crying.
She wiped away her tears, though her hands still trembled slightly.
Lu Qianqian handed her phone to Ji Wushuang.
"Wushuang-jie."
Her voice was thick with a nasal tone, hoarse yet filled with strength.
"Help me, call my big brother."
Ji Wushuang looked at Lu Qianqian and didn't say anything.
Instead, she simply dialed the number for her.
The call connected quickly.
"Hello?"
From the other end came Lu Chenyuan's steady voice, carrying a trace of fatigue.
Hearing that voice, the tears Lu Qianqian had just held back surged up once more.
"Big brother..."
Her voice held a sob.
But more than that, it held a clarity and resilience born from breaking free of a cocoon.
Lu Chenyuan on the other end was silent for a few seconds.
Then, his voice sounded again.
This time, there was no fatigue in his tone, only a relieved gentleness.
"Qianqian, it's me."
"I saw it," Lu Qianqian said.
"Mhm." Lu Chenyuan didn't seem surprised at all.
"Don't be afraid."
His voice remained steady.
Like an anchor, instantly calming all the turmoil in Lu Qianqian's heart.
"Big brother has been waiting for this day too."
"Big brother..."
Lu Qianqian wanted to say more but found herself choked up, unable to utter a single word.
A thousand words clogged her throat, finally dissolving into silent tears.
"Qianqian."
Lu Chenyuan's voice was still gentle and steady.
"You've done very well."
"Better than I imagined."
"Remember, no matter what happens, you are my sister."
"Always."
After hanging up, Lu Qianqian seemed much calmer.
Yet, the inner self-doubt had not ended.
Yes.
She had witnessed poverty and war.
She had faced death and slaughter.
She thought she was strong enough.
But when her entire life of the past eighteen years was proven to be a complete lie...
That feeling of being fundamentally negated from the roots still caused her unbearable pain.
Who was she?
She was not Lu Qianqian.
Then who was she?
A thief?
A fraud?
A despicable impostor usurping another's place?
Just as she was about to be swallowed by the black hole of self-doubt, a bottle of water was offered before her.
It was Ji Wushuang.
"Drink some water."
Ji Wushuang's voice was still flat.
"Your body is dehydrated."
Lu Qianqian didn't move. Instead, she looked at Ji Wushuang.
"Wushuang-jie."
"Am I... a laughable impostor?"
Ji Wushuang fell silent.
She gazed into the distance at the huge, blood-red sun slowly sinking.
Then, she spoke slowly.
"The first time I saw you..."
"You were a spoiled, pampered young lady."
"At that time, your value came from bearing the surname 'Lu'."
Lu Qianqian's body trembled.
"Later, in K Country."
"You learned how to shoot a gun; you learned to bandage my wounds after an explosion."
"At that time, your value came from your courage and kindness."
"Now, here."
"You can calmly change bandages for children amidst plague and hunger."
"You can go days and nights without sleep to complete a research report."
"At this time, your value comes from your professionalism and sense of responsibility."
Ji Wushuang looked at Lu Qianqian, her gaze deep and sharp.
"Lu Qianqian."
"Your value has never been tied to your origins."
"It lies in who you choose to become."
These words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly cleaving through all the gloom shrouding Lu Qianqian's heart.
Your value is not tied to your origins.
It lies in who you choose to become.
Lu Qianqian slowly raised her head.
She looked at Ji Wushuang.
At her face, its features sharp and stern in the sunset light.
Lu Qianqian thought of the people she had helped.
They didn't know her surname was Lu.
They didn't know if she was real or fake.
They only knew she was the kind girl from the East who gave them food and bandaged their wounds.
That was enough.
Lu Qianqian took the bottle of water Ji Wushuang offered.
She unscrewed the cap and drank deeply.
The cool water flowed down her throat into her stomach, seemingly dousing the burning pain in her heart.
She looked into the distance at that vast, barren land.
The sunset stretched her shadow long.
Her eyes gradually grew bright and firm once more.
"Wushuang-jie."
She said.
"Thank you."
She didn't say anything else, turning and walking back towards the medical camp.
Her back was still slender, but her steps were incredibly steady.
Watching this retreating figure, a thought passed through Ji Wushuang's mind.
The porcelain doll had finally grown an armor sturdy enough to withstand all the world's storms.
The storm of the true and false heiress soon passed for Lu Qianqian.
Whether due to Lu Chenyuan's early planning or Ji Wushuang's silent guardianship.
Lu Qianqian navigated through the storm smoothly.
Or perhaps, in the face of greater suffering, Lu Qianqian naturally let go of her entanglement over so-called "identity."
And instead, quickly threw herself into the new battles ahead.
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
Cheng's father told him he was getting remarried—to a wealthy woman. Cao Cheng realized his time had finally come: he was about to become a second-generation rich kid. Sure, it might be a watered-down version, but hey, at least he'd have status now, right? The wealthy woman also had four daughters!! Which meant, starting today, Cao Cheng gained four stunning older sisters?? But that wasn't even the whole story... "My name is Cao Cheng—'Cheng' as in 'honest, smooth-talking gentleman'!"
