Chapter 26: Tong Huan

Translator: Lonelytree 

The old house was at city west, it was the Nan Family’s ancestral home.

The current Nan Family home was at the silk stocking district but the old house was much more remote. 2 years after my parents’ death, my family moved to the new villa. I didn’t have a deep impression of the old house because I didn’t live here long… at least not in my available memory.

When I arrived, there was a special familiarity about this place. I suspected I spent more time here than I realized. It was part of that childhood memory which I couldn’t remember.

The driver and maid left after dropping off my stuff, they didn’t even waste time to converse with me. Then again, what was there to say to the useless Nan Family Second Miss?

Even the servants of the house shunned me. And that was exactly what I needed.

The old house was a Siheyuan. Since there was a maid who came to clean here regularly, it was clean and tidy. I could move in and settle without much hassle. It was just quite lonely staying at such a big house all alone.

Am I afraid? No, I’m not. I’m not afraid of ghost, if anything, I’m more afraid of people. People are scarier than ghosts.

After I finished unpacking, I went online to purchase a printer. I brought both of my new and old laptops over with me. I stored my mock test papers and revision notes in my old laptop. Not going to school for half a month was no big deal for me. I could do my own revision according to Jing Tian and Lin Ran’s assigned study plan.

Jing Ni called me once school was over. She called me after she was home. I told her that I had chickenpox and I had to be quarantined temporarily.

Jing Ni sounded so despondent. I was touched by her concern but at the same time, I had to make sure she didn’t become too reliant on me. From my previous life, I understood that only true independence could bring real strength.

I purchased more items online, ordered take out and settled down to study. In this life, I had to work hard to realize the dreams I failed to fulfill in my past life.

After I finished the biological test paper, my take-out arrived.

While I enjoyed the take-out, I took a break and logged into the computer. Since there was no one monitoring me, I could access the internet freely.

My mailbox on the dark net had received a new encrypted email. I was quite ecstatic, the fish had taken the bait!

I opened the link attached to the email. It was a picture and I was stunned. Ignoring the outfit, it felt like I was looking into a mirror.

I was looking at Tong Huan, my mother!

I touched her face through the screen. She smiled at me, her eyes glowing with confidence. She was in a black racing outfit and straddled a giant motorcycle. She was incredibly handsome. This was my mother, supposedly a good-for-nothing gangster.

I adored the woman that I saw. She is even more impressive than I thought!

“Who are you?” Someone pinged me through my mail.

I ignored it and clicked on the next picture. There was a pair of young couple in the picture. Since the female was my mom, then the male should be my dad. Also, he looked like my adopted father. I had to admit my mom and dad, they look perfect together. I was happy to see them standing side by side.

I downloaded the photos and saved them in my laptop, not worried about having my e-footprints traced. If anything, I was hoping they would come find me. I was using myself as bait to lure them out. Of course, I was not doing this recklessly. I was not going to die before finding out the truth.

The next day, my online purchases arrived. I bustled around the house and fitted everything I bought in place. I armed the old house and basically turned it into a fortress.

…

That night, I was woken up by the alarm connected to the phone left beside my bed. Without turning on the lights, I slipped out from bed to grab the iron bar I hid under my pillow.

I listened carefully and could make out people entering the courtyard. I counted, 1, 2, 3, 4…

“Fuck, what is this place? Why is it so damn eerie?”

“Shh, you’re going to wake her up.”

“Are you sure the info is right? A little girl is living here by herself? I wouldn’t dare to live at a place like this all on my own!”

“Shush, stop talking. Hurry up and find her! When you find her, knock her out and don’t make too much of a commotion, understood?”

“Yes!”

The four stopped talking. I could only hear their rustling footsteps.

I hid in the dark. Are these four the people I was waiting for? I held my breath as they entered the first guest room. They only came out several minutes later.

“This is taking too long. We should split up, whistle if you spy her.”

“Okay.”

“Boss, I, I’m scared.”

“You fool! How can you call yourself a gangster with such cowardice?”