Don't meet me in your next life.

"No!" Niannian cried, "I'm going to tell Grandma!"

"Niannian!" Xiang Yi frowned. "Grandma is already asleep! Don't wake her!"

"Hmph, I don't care! I'm going to tell Grandma!" Niannian said, then broke free from Xiang Yiyi and wiggled her little bottom as she ran outside.

Xiang Yi was terrified and quickly followed him out.

But when she chased after her to the door, Niannian had already disappeared.

This girl is getting more and more mischievous; she even tries to run away!

She stomped her foot angrily and had no choice but to go back to her room.

Shen Ruochu looked smug, holding the child, and swayed triumphantly on the sofa.

“My darling, how about it? Mommy keeps her word, right?” she said, bringing her face close to Nian Nian’s, smiling like a fox that had stolen a fish.

Niannian glared at her fiercely and muttered, "You win!"

"Sweetie, how could you say that to Mommy? Look, Mommy is being bullied now. You have to protect Mommy, you can't let anyone bully Mommy."

"..."

Niannian turned her face away angrily, ignoring her.

Shen Ruochu scoffed, "See? Mommy's just being the one to accuse the villain first!"

He ignored her, lying sullenly in bed, burying his face in the pillow.

"Sweetie, Mommy was wrong. I shouldn't have yelled at you. Mommy didn't mean to..."

"..."

"Look, Mommy will apologize to you now, so please don't be angry with Mommy."

Niannian still ignored her and simply turned her back.

Seeing this, Shen Ruochu sighed helplessly, "Then, baby, whatever punishment you want to give Mommy, Mommy will accept it. Don't cry anymore, okay?"

"..."

"Look, if you ignore Mommy, Mommy will be sad..." she said, pouting aggrievedly.

"..." Nian Nian still ignored her.

Seeing this, Shen Ruochu could only pretend to wipe away her tears and cry out, "Baby, Mommy is so sad..."

Niannian was at her wit's end, and finally turned around, looking at her tearful little face with an expression of utter helplessness.

"Alright, stop pretending to cry. I promise you, but don't force me to get engaged to him."

Her face was full of conflicted expression, clearly indicating that she was still unwilling.

Upon hearing her agree, Xiang Yi immediately put on a sweet smile, "Thank you, Niannian, my darling! Mommy loves you to death!"

Shen Ruochu looked at her, her lips moving slightly.

But in the end I endured it.

"Niannian, you're so thoughtful! You truly are Mommy's sweet little darling!"

"..." Niannian rolled her eyes in utter helplessness.

"Baby, now you go take a bath and go to bed. Mommy's going to take a bath!" Xiang Yi said as she turned and went upstairs.

Niannian watched her retreating figure, a sly glint in her large, dark eyes.

When she finished showering and came out...

But Niannian was already lying in bed, curled up in the blankets, trying to curl up her body.

She shook her head helplessly.

This girl actually intends to sleep with her.

She stepped forward, intending to lift the blanket, but Niannian grabbed her arm.

She looked at her, "Mommy, what are you doing?"

Xiang Yi smiled and said, "Of course it's to cover Niannian with a blanket! Did you forget that Mommy didn't bring pajamas last night? Look, Mommy can't sleep with you tonight, so Niannian will have to make do. Don't worry, Mommy will definitely buy you new ones tomorrow!"

Niannian looked at her with obvious disdain.

But she didn't want to let go.

Although Shen Ruochu is a very annoying woman, she is, after all, my only family.

She doesn't want her to be with her dad!

"Niannian, be good! Look, we have to go to kindergarten tomorrow, and Mommy can't be late!" Xiang Yiyi said with a coaxing expression.

Upon hearing this, Niannian's eyes darted around, then she withdrew her finger. "Hmph, I'll believe you this time! If I find out you're bullying me again, I'll tell Daddy you're bullying me, and he'll beat you up!"

"Yes, yes, yes..." Xiang Yi replied perfunctorily, thinking to herself that once Niannian fell asleep, she could go to Shen Ruochu to find out what exactly happened.

She lay on the bed, propping her head up with one hand, staring at the night outside the window.

She's been away from home for so long, and she misses it. She wonders how her grandparents are doing, and how her parents, sisters-in-law, and other relatives are doing.

Xiang Yi sighed and stopped thinking about those troubling things.

She felt uneasy thinking about Shen Ruochu's attitude during their conversation today.

If she truly loved Shao Yiwen, she wouldn't have gotten involved with the Shen family, and she wouldn't need to worry about the Shen family making things difficult for Shao Yiwen.

Moreover, if she really didn't want Shao Yiwen to be with her, why would she want to ruin her marriage with him?

Thinking about this, Xiang Yi suddenly remembered that she had said before that she liked Shao Yiwen. So, if she really liked Shao Yiwen, why did she marry into the Shen family?

besides......

She just said that she has known Shao Yiwen since she was a child, so why would she lie to herself?

So, she had actually met Shao Yiwen more than once.

But......

Does she really know Shao Yiwen?

Xiang Yiyi couldn't help but feel a little confused.

If she really knew Shao Yiwen, why did she never mention it? And why did she say she was an orphan, having no parents or relatives or friends since childhood...?

Could it be that she fabricated a lie just to convince herself of her own words?

Thinking about it this way, Xiang Yi felt that Shen Ruochu might not be as bad as she appeared on the surface.

but......

Could she really be that girl?

Is she really going to die?

No matter what, she's still her sister.

Moreover, she was someone Shao Yiwen had once deeply loved...

As Xiang Yi closed her eyes, the scene of Shao Yiwen and Shen Ruochu together appeared in her mind.

She didn't know what was wrong with her; suddenly, images of Shao Yiwen and Shen Ruochu together flashed through her mind...

"ah--"

A scream echoed throughout the room.

Xiang Yi covered her ears, desperately trying to shake them off.

"Miss, are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?"

The maid's voice startled her awake. She opened her eyes and looked at the bedside lamp.

The lights were dim, and she sat on the floor, her long hair disheveled.

She was panting, her cheeks covered in cold sweat.

Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, which made her feel scared, even terrified.

She kept patting her chest, trying to calm her breathing.

"Miss, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" the maid asked hurriedly upon seeing the situation.

Xiang Yi looked at her, and a strange bittersweet feeling welled up in her heart.

"It's nothing." She shook her head. "What about Niannian? How is she?"

"Miss Niannian hasn't gotten up yet; it's probably dinnertime by now."

"Okay." Xiang Yi nodded. "I'm going to take a shower first."

After saying that, she got up and walked towards the bathroom.

After taking a shower, she put on her pajamas and sat down in front of the vanity mirror.