"There, there. Let's eat now," Madam Liu said gently as she finally let go of Liu Rouran and began piling more food onto her plate, so much that Liu Rouran wasn't even sure she could finish it.
But to her surprise, she did.
By the end of the meal, her plate was completely clean. Now her stomach was so full, she could barely move.
A mix of satisfaction and guilt began to fill her heart. 'What if they think I'm greedy? What if they think I'm wasting their food budget?'
That was what Zhou Lihua always used to say.
She'd get upset whenever Rouran ate a bit more than usual, complaining that she was wasting rice and making the grocery bill go up.
In the end, Liu Rouran started rationing her meals—half a bowl of rice for lunch, and the other half saved for dinner.
Sometimes, kind housemaids would secretly offer her a little extra, but she rarely accepted because she didn't want them to go hungry just because of her.
Honestly, this was the first time she'd eaten a full meal without thinking about the rice in her bowl.
But still … a small part of her worried.
What if they scold her like Zhao Lihua did? Rice was expensive these days, after all.
Yet, no one said a word.
No one looked annoyed.
No one judged her.
Instead, Madam Liu said kindly, "Ranran, you must be tired after such a long trip. Why don't you rest in your room for a bit?"
Liu Rouran tilted her head. "Do you have any cleaning supplies I can use?"
Madam Liu blinked. "For what?"
"To clean my room," Liu Rouran said, blinking back in confusion. "I should clean it first, right?"
Back at the Jiang residence, the first thing she had to do upon arriving was clean her own room.
They had stuck her in a dusty storage space that once belonged to Zhou Lihua's storage room, and no one had made time to clean it before she got there.
Little Liu Rouran had swept the floor herself that day.
It was during Lunar New Year, and most of the housemaids were away.
So little Liu Rouran had cleaned her "room" by herself, welcoming the new year with a broom in hand.
"Oh, my dear … why would you need to clean anything?" Madam Liu asked softly. "You don't need to lift a finger. Everything has been prepared just for you."
Liu Rouran hesitated. "There's … a bed?"
Madam Liu raised an eyebrow, clearly confused by the question. "Yes, sweetheart. A big bed. It's all ready for you."
That was … unexpected.
She remembered clearly, her first night at the Jiang residence, she had slept on an air mattress.
No pillow. No blanket.
So maybe, not every family was like the one she'd left behind.
Maybe, this time … she was actually being welcomed home.
• •
Liu Rouran stood in awe as she stepped into her new bedroom.
Once the housemaid quietly closed the door behind her, she slowly began to walk around the room.
It was … massive.
Maybe twice—no, ten times—bigger than her old bedroom at the Jiang residence.
It was so spacious that, if she wanted to, she could probably walk in circles and hit 5,000 steps a day without ever leaving the room.
Just like Madam Liu had said, there was a big bed inside, but what she didn't expect was that it was a king-size bed.
She walked closer, reaching out to touch the folded blanket resting neatly at the end. "What is this? What is this?!"
The fabric was unbelievably soft, like clouds wrapped in cotton, and when she sat on the bed, she almost gasped.
The mattress was thick and plush, holding her weight just right. It was so comfortable she almost melted on the spot.
With a bed like this, she would never have back pain again!
She then looked around, taking in every detail of the room, and then she froze when she noticed some luxury items she had only ever seen in Jiang Rouyan's room.
No, actually, maybe those items were more expensive than Jiang Rouyan's.
What kind of business did her biological family actually run?
Now that she thought about it … none of them really seemed like people who'd sell human organs, but then again, could she really judge someone by appearances?
After all, Jiang Rouyan had the face of an angel and the heart of a devil.
Come to think of it … The name "Liu Family" did sound familiar, but with so many people named Liu, she had brushed it off.
She vaguely remembered hearing about a criminal gang with the surname Liu, so how was she supposed to know if this Liu family was the good one or the bad one?
Then she started to remember the contents of articles, the gossip amongst wealthy people.
The good Liu family was also known as the Golden Dragons, one of the most prestigious and mysterious families in Huaxia Country.
Liu Dynasty Group was known for dominating multiple industries—law firms, fashion, real estate, finance, and many more.
Zhou Lihua had often bragged about being close to "Madam Liu," but for some reason, Liu Rouran had never believed her.
The Golden Dragons never showed their faces to the public, but media outlets had always described them the same way: A mysterious couple with four children, three sons and one daughter.
Each of them was successful in their own field, running a different empire, and none of them had ever failed.
Rouran bit her lip.
The descriptions … matched her new family a little too well.
So … they weren't criminals?
They were the Golden Dragons?!
Liu Rouran nearly screamed. This might actually be scarier than being in a criminal family!
All of her siblings were talented. Successful. Powerful.
If she couldn't keep up, would they cast her aside?
What if they only treated her kindly now, but threw her away later if she didn't live up to their expectations?
If she got thrown out by a family this prestigious, no one would want her later. People would assume she was too untalented that her family didn't want her.
No. She couldn't let that happen.
She jumped up from the bed and began pacing the room in a panic.
Alright. Breathe. Stay calm.
She forced herself to take deep breaths, trying to settle the storm in her mind.
She wasn't talentless.
She was smart. She did have potential. She had just spent years hiding it, so Jiang Rouyan could shine.
But not anymore.
Now, it was time for her to shine, brighter than Jiang Rouyan ever could.
First things first: she had to clear her name because if she got expelled from college, everything would fall apart.
Wait—wasn't Liu Yichen a lawyer?
Maybe … maybe she could ask for his advice?
No. What was she thinking?
Liu Yichen was the meanie of this family!
He didn't even look at her during dinner. He was probably the type to shut the door in her face.
Knock. Knock.
Her thoughts vanished in an instant as she heard a knock on the door.
She didn't even think, she just walked over and opened it. She almost jumped once she saw Liu Yichen standing right in front of her door.
His sharp eyes locked with hers, and before she could say a word, he spoke, in a voice colder than winter.
"I've reviewed your file," he said. "It says you're close to being expelled. Is college too difficult for you?"
Liu Rouran blinked. Was he mocking her … or just asking?