At this moment, Mu Chengzhu, Mu Jiayu, and Yun Sisi were standing at the doorway, eyeing Yun Shifei with a hint of surprise.
Evidently, they had seen Uncle Cheng dropping her off just moments ago.
"Sister, was Uncle Cheng the one who brought you back just now?"
Yun Shifei nodded.
"Uncle Cheng is so nice," Yun Sisi smiled sweetly, her expression innocent and charming.
Under the gaze of the three, Yun Shifei felt extremely uncomfortable.
She lowered her head, carrying her backpack, and took one step after another toward the house entrance.
As a result, she got closer and closer to Yun Sisi's group.
The closer she got, the more intense the complicated feelings inside her became, weighing on her like a rock that kept her from breathing.
She still remembered—it was this same man, the man she had loved for so many years, who had pushed her off the building in her past life.
Yet at this moment, he was nothing but a sixteen-year-old boy with clean and handsome features.
Even with just a hurried glance earlier, it was clear that his allure could not be ignored.
Tall and elegant, with a gentle and refined demeanor.
But who could know how deceitful his heart truly was?
"Sister, I invited Brother Mu and Jia Yu to our house as guests," Yun Sisi added.
Her gaze fixed on Yun Shifei, as if expecting a good show.
She wasn't disappointed—Yun Shifei couldn't even look directly at Mu Chengzhu, still the same as before, shy as ever, wasn't she?
Whenever she saw Mu Chengzhu, Yun Shifei seemed to transform completely.
Clumsy on most occasions, and even worse when it came to facing Mu Chengzhu—she could barely utter a coherent word.
Yet, just as this thought flashed through Yun Sisi's mind, Yun Shifei lifted her head and greeted Mu Chengzhu and Mu Jiayu, "Hello."
Three simple words, exuding politeness and detachment.
And yet, this brief sentence flowed so smoothly and naturally.
Gone were her stammering days from before.
In Yun Sisi's imagination, Yun Shifei should have been struggling to take her eyes off Mu Chengzhu, nervously stuttering out, "Brother… Brother Mu… y-you… you're here to visit us?"
Yun Sisi had already envisioned Yun Shifei's expression and tone entirely in her mind.
Who would have thought Yun Shifei would simply offer a casual greeting?
"I'll head inside first," Yun Shifei said and opened the door to go inside.
Without giving them another glance.
Whenever she was around them, Yun Shifei felt a profound sense of discomfort.
After all, she was facing the man who had taken her life.
In her past life, Mu Chengzhu had treated her this way.
In this life, nothing had happened yet.
Revenge?
She knew that many reincarnation stories portray heroines seeking vengeance against enemies from their previous lives.
But she didn't enjoy being blinded by hatred.
If life only revolved around revenge, what was the point of living again?
Of course, this also had to do with Yun Shifei's temperament; she was naturally conflict-averse.
In her previous life, she lacked the brains to discern truth from manipulation, and was constantly deceived.
So now she had to live cautiously and prudently.
As for revenge, she'd deal with it if the opportunity arose later.
But for now, when you're not strong enough, it's better to lie low and develop quietly.
The farther she could stay from them, the better.
If they had to meet, she'd maintain just the right amount of distance.
She wouldn't get involved in Yun Sisi and Mu Chengzhu's mess anymore.
Whatever they wanted to do, let them—it was enough for her to focus on living her own life well.
She hastily finished her greetings and went inside, leaving the three standing in the wind, bewildered.
After a good while, Yun Sisi finally recovered and couldn't help but laugh as she turned toward Mu Chengzhu: "Sister got shy seeing Brother Mu, didn't she? She didn't even want to chat with us for a while."
As soon as she said this, she noticed a flicker of disgust flash across Mu Chengzhu's face.
"Sisi, I'm just being honest here, but your sister is way too fake and ridiculous. One moment, she's staring at my brother like a lovesick fool who can't move her feet, and the next she acts like she doesn't like him, playing hard to get. If she weren't your sister, I wouldn't even bother with her."
"Don't say that; if my sister hears us, she'll start crying again."
"You're just too kind—that's why she bullies you," Mu Jiayu said indignantly on Yun Sisi's behalf.
Yun Sisi lowered her gaze, her expression tinged with sadness: "What can I do? She's the biological daughter, and I'm just the one adopted from the orphanage."
She already looked frail and delicate, her face pure and spotless.
With just a slight furrowing of her brows and a gentle hunch of her shoulders, she seemed like a willow battered by the wind.
That utterly vulnerable appearance stirred people's boundless sympathy.
Mu Chengzhu couldn't help but say, "Sisi, don't be afraid. I'll protect you."
"Exactly. Around here, everyone in the neighborhood is on your side. Yun Shifei? She's nothing but a joke."
In recent days, Yun Tiancheng had gone out to discuss business partnerships.
At home, there was only Xu Ya.
With her newfound free time, Xu Ya had started cooking various dishes.
When Yun Sisi mentioned she wanted to invite Mu Chengzhu and Mu Jiayu to the house, Xu Ya didn't hesitate to entertain the idea.
She prepared not only a sumptuous meal but also desserts and pastries.
Clearly, she quite liked the two children from the Mu Family.
After all, the Mu Family had a good relationship with theirs, and these two were obedient and likable children whom she'd watched grow up, treating them as her own godchildren in a way.
During the meal, conversation never ceased.
"Auntie, this crab is delicious," said one guest.
"It's actually not the season yet. Wait until autumn—it'll taste even better," Xu Ya replied with a smile.
Meanwhile, Yun Shifei continued quietly eating.
She didn't fit in with the group, but she didn't mind those details.
Her mind was entirely preoccupied with her studies.
After dinner, she still needed to return to her room and focus on her homework.
The test papers she had dealt with earlier had completely shaken her confidence—perhaps she should ask Xu Ya about hiring a tutor for her later.
Her silence registered as aloofness and lack of camaraderie in Yun Sisi and the others' eyes.
A hint of disdain flickered in Yun Sisi's eyes.
In the end, why had she even worried earlier? Yun Shifei was such an impossible competitor—how could she possibly threaten her position?
It was absurd and laughable.
A girl like her, fresh from the countryside, couldn't even manage to join in their conversations.
If she'd missed out on over a decade of life here, how difficult must it be to integrate now?
Yun Sisi didn't know.
But she did know one thing—that she was leagues above Yun Shifei. And that was enough.
After dinner, Yun Sisi pulled Mu Jiayu into the living room to chat, with Mu Chengzhu following behind.
They talked about academic topics.
Yun Shifei initially didn't intend to join them, until Yun Sisi called out to her, "Sister, I heard your class had a math quiz today. How did you do?"
How did she do?
"Not very well."
Ha, Yun Sisi couldn't help but grin, though she feigned concern: "Was it too hard? Actually, we worked on that paper a couple of days ago—I scored a 95."
Yun Sisi then took the quiz paper out of her backpack.
Seeing the flawless marks on the paper, Yun Shifei's emotions were mixed.
Once again, she began to envy Yun Sisi.
At that thought, she asked Yun Sisi, "Could you teach me? I didn't understand a lot of parts."
Yun Sisi, who had initially intended to show off, froze at her words.