Chapter 7 : The Power of Silence

What a cruel reality this was.

Sometimes, being too good-looking wasn’t always a good thing, at least for her it definitely was.

A frail girl, good-looking didn’t that just mean she was openly inviting anyone to bully her?

Could she even resist with her weak body?

Reality made her pessimistic the moment she saw herself.

“Help… can’t I just be a normal person…”

She lay powerlessly on the floor, the girl in the mirror doing the same, both staring at each other.

“……”

“Sorry for taking your body.”

“The most I can do is try not to ruin your family relationships, and let you live as long as possible.”

Being stared at by such a beautiful girl, with her shy personality she felt a bit embarrassed, even though she realized it was just her reflection…

“…Sorry.”

She turned her head slightly, thinking to crawl back to bed, but at that moment, some noise from outside the room inexplicably drew her attention.

She didn’t understand why, but from the sound she could roughly guess someone had returned.

So she changed direction, quietly moving to the door and carefully opening a tiny crack.

Peeking—

Through the crack, she could see a stranger in the hall now standing beside her mother, back to her in a sharp suit, from the build clearly a middle-aged man, some gray already in his hair.

Because of the distance and their deliberately lowered voices, she couldn’t identify him at first, but just from the aura his back gave off, he didn’t seem like a housekeeper, plus from this angle she could see her mother’s expression, not sharp like with others, even seeming to hold a trace of… resentment?

“So strange…”

She didn’t dare make much noise, but the man’s next action nearly stopped her heart, because in her view, after taking off his jacket he was slowly walking toward her room.

“!”

“No, he’s coming to find me?!”

“Wait wait wait…!”

Her heart was about to jump into her throat from tension, even causing brief discomfort in her body.

But just when she thought she was done for, her mother seemed to call something to the man, stopping him in place.

“Your daughter is sleeping, even if you’re anxious to see her this isn’t the time, do you ever think of others? Really.”

‘What, daughter…?’

“Alright… indeed, I was too eager.”

Xu Jiu, eavesdropping on their exchange, was slightly stunned, especially hearing one call the other.

“Call your son back first, my words don’t work on him, only you can, otherwise who knows where that kid will mess around tonight.”

“Mm.”

The man seemed cold and aloof, but surprisingly obedient to the woman, something Xu Jiu hadn’t expected.

And through their conversation, she roughly guessed his identity, after all from the moment he appeared at home, it was already obvious.

“My, father…”

She gently closed the crack, breathing a bit heavily digesting it all, mainly the earlier scare was too much.

At the same time, because of her nervousness, she hadn’t seen his face clearly, actually that had been a good chance, but she was too scared then.

“Sigh…”

“Have I still not accepted all the changes this body brings… when will I get used to this.”

Feeling tired in her heart, she returned to bed and fell asleep immediately, in the dream she saw some of her future, but not good dreams, in the dream she seemed to die before thirty, then as a soul watching a crowd mourn for her.

She didn’t know how to describe the feeling, besides pure sadness there was also an indescribable absurdity, but overall it was quite upsetting.

It wasn’t until evening when someone woke her that she escaped this nightmare.

“How’s your body baby, time to get up for dinner with Mom and Dad, everyone’s waiting for you.”

“Wu…”

Her eyes were hard to open, but she gradually woke from drowsiness, under the somewhat glaring ceiling light, her mother’s beautiful face gently watching her.

“Mom…”

“~Mm, I’ll carry you up.”

She nodded, then felt her body lighten, falling into a soft embrace, just as familiar.

“…No wheelchair?”

“Silly child, do you like that thing so much, we’re home now of course no need.”

“Mom’s right here if anything.”

Xu Jiu was silent upon hearing this, but a rare warmth gradually rose in her heart, which also indirectly helped her integrate faster into this unfamiliar family.

Her mother carried her all the way to the dining table, perhaps her pride hadn’t faded, along the way she buried her head in the other’s neck too shy to show her face.

Until she felt herself gently set down, sitting on a solid comfortable cushion.

“Wu…”

“What is it Xiao Jiu, want Mom to stay beside you?”

“No…”

The woman smiled slightly, but still thoughtfully sat a bit closer to her.

Xu Jiu sighed slightly, she didn’t know when she became so dependent, clearly her heart resisted it.

“Long time no see, Xiao Jiu, how are you, still remember Daddy?”

“Mm…?”

A mature voice with some gentleness sounded in her ear, only then did Xu Jiu realize a man she had never seen was sitting across from her.

The man had a square-jawed face with sharp features, eyes piercing yet deep, unsmiling giving a dignified feeling.

Xu Jiu was stunned at first glance, then quickly remembered his identity, nodding somewhat stutteringly.

“Dad…”

“Why do you seem nervous?”

“Tch, isn’t it you scaring her, told you not to bring that company attitude home, Xiao Jiu isn’t your son that you need to treat her like that.”

The woman rolled her eyes helplessly upon seeing this, then somewhat annoyed scolded him.

“Cough cough… sorry Xiao Jiu, Dad hasn’t seen you in too long, suddenly didn’t know how to interact, please forgive Daddy okay.”

“Eh…”

Xu Jiu at the table was stunned, she had just zoned out a bit, how did it turn into this?

Sure enough, silence sometimes really caused misunderstandings…

“It’s okay, Dad… I was just slow from waking up, so…”

But before she finished, sounds of someone returning came from outside.