June, the sun was scorching hot.

As soon as Guan Xuxu stepped into the villa's gate, a suitcase crashed beside her with a "clang".

Looking down at her from the entrance, a ritzy dressed woman glanced over the young girl's delicate features with snowy skin. A hint of jealousy flashed in her eyes, quickly followed by undisguised disgust.

"Your luggage has been packed. From today on, get out of this house and return to your biological parents!", she sneered.

Guan Xuxu didn't look at the suitcase on the ground. Instead, she looked indifferently at Bai Shuqin, whom she had been calling "mother" for the last seventeen years.

The commotion exited to the foyer drew the attention of the inside. Soon, Guan Xuxu's father and his children emerged from the house.

Seeing the suitcase near Guan Xuxu's foot, he looked at his wife with an implied reproach.

"Shuqin, what are you doing? After all, Xuxu has been our daughter for eighteen years."

"She's nothing but an ungrateful wretch!"

Bai Shuqin glared at Guan Xuxu, blaming her for not giving up her opportunity to become the city's image representative to her sister, Guan Ruirui. She sermonized, vilifying Guan Xuxu for ignoring her advice and taking something envisioned for Ruirui.

Guan Ruirui, who had been standing aside, displayed jealousy when hearing Bai Shuqin's words. But she quickly masked her feelings with a look of victimized sorrow.

"Mother, don't be like this. It's understandable that sister didn't want to give up such a rare opportunity. Maybe it's me who isn't good enough... otherwise I would've been selected...", she protested in a weak voice.

"What are you lacking compared to her? What she has is given by our Guan family." Bai Shuqin softly consoled her own daughter.

Guan Xuxu silently watched the mother-daughter performance. She has seen plenty of such acts growing up. Professorially, she showed no emotion instead, ironically, she felt like laughing.

Three days ago, she had been hit by a car and thrown several meters in order to save Guan Ruirui. Everyone thought she wouldn't survive.

When Bai Shuqin and the Guan family arrived at the scene, their reaction was not to check on her injuries, but rather to pacify their daughter who was crying non-stop due to the car accident.

At that time, Guan Xuxu was lying on the ground in a daze, feeling her hands and feet turning cold. However, what chilled her to the bone was the conversation between her adoptive parents, Bai Shuqin and Mr. Guan－

【The front of the car is completely wrecked, she probably won't survive.】

【This might be for the best, if she dies, it affirms that she has indeed averted this major disaster destined for Ruirui. It won't be in vain that we have taken care of her all these years...】

Guan Xuxu had always known that she was merely a tool raised by the Guan family to ward off calamities destined for Guan Ruirui.

She didn't understand when she was young, why every time Guan Ruirui fell ill, Bai Shuqin would ask her to look after Ruirui around the clock. Under her care, Ruirui always recovered quickly, but she would fall seriously ill afterwards.

It wasn't until she met her master and got her guidance, she finally understood that her and Guan Ruirui's birth horoscopes belonged to a Yin and Yang balance akin to the combination of Heaven and Earth.

In this combination, she was the better half.

The Guan family raised her alongside Guan Ruirui to use her luck to counteract the misfortune on Ruirui. As she continuously averted calamities for Ruirui, Ruirui's destiny gradually improved while she slowly descended into ill fortune.

If it weren't for Guan Xuxu's preparation, she might have exhausted all her luck and died in the car accident three days ago.

It was this accident that led her biological father to her.

"Are you done talking? Can I go now?"

Having heard this couple indifferently discussing her death, the last bit of expectation she had for the Guan family completely vanished. Leaving the Guan family did not bring her any sense of loss.

"Xuxu, don't blame your mother, it's your fault this happened."

It was only then that Mr. Guan stepped forward, his face serious as ever. "Since your biological parents have come for you, you should go back with them."

Guan Ruirui also spoke, her voice soft and timid, "Sister, don't be angry at mom, she's doing all this for me." As she spoke, she suddenly picked up an envelope from her side and handed it to her sister. In an intimate manner, she said, "Here's a thousand yuan. According to father, your biological parents live in the mountains where it's pretty poor and the network is not so developed. Carrying some cash would be better."

From the side, Bai Shuqin harrumphed, "Don't say we didn't consider all the years of kinship. This thousand yuan can be used for a year in the mountains. We've treated you well enough." She continued with a sarcastic laugh, "Once you go back there, I guess there's no chance to meet again. I've heard that in those mountains, there are many old men who can't find a wife. You can just go back and get married. Anyways, your grades are average, and you certainly can't make it to college."

Guan Xuxu looked at Bai Shuqin's demeanor, seemingly generous but filled with malice, and just gave her an indifferent glance, "Your forehead wrinkles are quite deep, a sign of overthinking and accumulated karmic debts. Instead of worrying about me, I suggest you use this thousand yuan to buy a facial mask to remedy your situation." After a pause, she added as if on purpose, "Although it might not be much help."

Guan Xuxu said this with a serious tone, but it made Bai Shuqin's face turn sharp instantly. She angrily yelled, "You little bitch, who gave you the courage to talk to me like that?!" As Bai Shuqin raised her hand to slap Guan Xuxu, the latter coolly looked at her, gently sidestepped, making Bai Shuqin's slap miss its mark.

Bai Shuqin can't believe it, "You still dare to dodge…"

Off to the side, Guan Ruirui reacts quickly and tries to restrain Guan Xuxu, "Sister, don't upset mom like this. As long as you speak nicely, mom will forgive you."

It sounds good, but in reality, she was holding Xuxu to prevent her from evading Bai Shuqin's slapping.

Guan Xuxu raises her arm, intending to push the person away, but her eyes sweep over and stop at the jade bracelet on Guan Ruirui's wrist.

In an instant, she reaches out and grabs Guan Ruirui's wrist, questioning coldly,

"How did this bracelet end up with you?"

Guan Ruirui wore this bracelet deliberately today with a sense of showing off.

When she sees that Xuxu finally noticed her wrist, and was suddenly grabbed, she immediately appears shocked, immediately yells out in pain,

"Ouch…"

As soon as Guan Ruirui cries out, Bai Shuqin's face changes immediately, seizing Guan Xuxu's hand and pulling her away, yelling angrily,

"Guan Xuxu! What are you doing?!"

However, Guan Xuxu remains firm, staring fixedly at Guan Ruirui, her voice somewhat cold. "That is the bracelet grandma left for me."

"What's this about your bracelet?! That's the one the old lady left for the Guan family's daughters! You're no longer a part of Guan family now, so naturally the bracelet is Ruirui's!"

Guan Xuxu clenches her teeth, decisively releasing her hand from the suitcase handle, she turns to look at her father,

"I can leave everything from the Guan family behind, all I want is the bracelet grandma left for me."

If there was anything that tied her to the Guan Family, it was only her grandmother.

Her grandmother was the only person in the family who truly loved her. Even in her dying moments, her grandmother was worried about how she would fare without her.

The bracelet was the only keepsake her grandmother had left for her.

Upon hearing Guan Xuxu's words, Father Guan’s expression remained relatively unchanged. "Even though you're adopted, I've always considered you as my own. The Guan Family is respectable, and we wouldn't do something shameful as sending a child back to her biological parents without even giving her any luggage. Your biological parents are not well off, so take whatever you should take."

However, no mention was made about giving her the bracelet.

At this moment, Guan Ruirui timidly said, "Sister, I know that you really want the bracelet. However, it was grandmother's... How about this, I'll give you some money instead? Is ten thousand enough? If it's not enough, two thousand then?"

The suggestion of giving her money in place of the bracelet implied that she wanted the bracelet to sell it for money.

Guan Xuxu instantly glared coldly at Guan Ruirui.

Guan Ruirui shivered slightly in fear after that cold stare.

Bai Shuqin quickly stepped forward to protect Guan Ruirui and sharply said, "What kind of look is that?! Did Ruirui say anything wrong?! All this belongs to the Guan Family, and you have no right to demand anything!

Don't forget, you were also raised by the Guan family. All the money we spent on you these years, we haven't asked you to repay us, not to mention we have given you an extra thousand. You are being an absolute ingrate now!"

At this moment, the previously silent Guan Qishen spoke up. His young face, identical to Father Guan's, showed a hint of dissatisfaction and hurt. "Xuxu, that belongs to Ruirui. Since when did you become so greedy?"

Guan Xuxu’s hands, hanging by her sides, clenched tightly. He continued, "If you obediently give up your place to Ruirui, I can persuade mom and dad to let you stay."