The car stopped in front of a villa considerably smaller than the Goldsmiths' mansion, yet still clearly luxurious. Its iron gate was rusted, and the paint on the walls had faded. This was the Haughan family home, once prosperous, now burdened by mounting debts. The garden was no longer meticulously maintained, with wild bushes growing rampant.
The large door opened. Mr. Haughan and Mrs. Haughan stood there, their faces etched with a mixture of worry and relief. "Clara!" Mrs. Haughan rushed forward, embracing her. Mrs. Haughan's hug felt a bit stiff, not as natural as a real mother's after three months of separation. Mr. Haughan stood behind her, nodding, his face showing clear signs of fatigue.
Clara tried to return the embrace, forcing a smile. She observed her nominal parents. Their eyes held a complex emotion, not just joy at seeing their daughter, but also apprehension, even fear, as they looked towards the Goldsmiths' guards still standing by the car.
"Why... did you come home so soon?" Mrs. Haughan said, her voice slightly trembling and surprised. She pulled Clara inside.
The house bore the marks of decay. The furniture was old, and a thin layer of dust covered the decorative items. The space felt much smaller and more stifling compared to the vastness of the Goldsmiths' mansion.
Clara walked around the villa. The living room displayed a large family photo. In it were Mr. and Mrs. Haughan, and in the middle, a little girl around 7-8 years old. This... is Clara when she was young? She thought.
"Come, have lunch, dear; you must be tired from the journey," Mrs. Haughan said, entering, carrying a basket of snacks. "Mother was afraid the Goldsmiths family wouldn't let you stay long. These are some of your favorite snacks; take them when you leave." Mrs. Haughan couldn't hide her sadness at parting with her daughter.
"I plan to stay with you for about two weeks before returning," Clara said.
Mrs. Haughan was surprised. "The Goldsmiths family allowed this?"
"Yes, Mother," she replied gently.
During lunch, Mr. and Mrs. Haughan continuously served her food, asking general questions about her life at the Goldsmiths mansion but avoiding any deeper inquiries.
"You look tired these days, and much quieter. It's so different from before you went to the Goldsmiths family; you were so stubborn, always found a way to get what you wanted, always playful, and loved to eat. When your father and I had no choice but to marry you into the Goldsmiths family, you vehemently protested by refusing to eat for weeks. We had to coax you for so long... it was our fault," Mr. Haughan said, tears welling up, as he continued to give his daughter the best portions.
Clara now surmised that she had likely gained some information about her past self: a difficult young lady.
"May I visit my room after lunch?" she asked, her eyes sparkling, feigning emotion.
"Of course. Who knows when you'll return to visit your old parents again. Your mother and I married you off because of the Haughan family's increasingly difficult financial situation. We wanted to bear the burden ourselves, not let our only child suffer with us. Marrying into the Goldsmiths family might not be what you wanted, but it will secure your future," Mr. Haughan affirmed.
After lunch, Clara made her way to her room. Clara Haughan's bedroom was on the third floor, at the end of the mansion's hallway. As she stepped in, she caught a faint scent of lavender. The room was designed in a light yet elegant style, not overly ostentatious. On the desk near the window sat a photo of Clara skiing seven years ago. She opened the wardrobe to find it filled with simple, personal, inexpensive clothes.
Overall, the room differed from her imagination of a wealthy young lady wearing designer clothes. After exploring for a while, she saw Mrs. Haughan bringing in a tray of fruit and sweets.
"Mother, I don't know if I'll be able to visit the Haughan family again in the future. Could you show me some more commemorative items so I don't miss the family so much?" Clara asked, her voice pleading as she looked at Mrs. Haughan.
Afterward, mother and daughter headed to the Haughan family study. This room mostly displayed Haughan family mementos. Mrs. Haughan led her to a corner of the study and pulled an album from a bookshelf.
"This is a photo from when you were just 8 years old, all red-faced after attending the city's tomato festival. This is you at 10, camping with the family. And this is you at 13, when you went skiing and broke your leg... but you were quite resilient; you recovered in 2-3 days and begged your father and me to let you go again."
"Wait... I was that strong?" Clara asked skeptically, looking at Mr. and Mrs. Haughan.
"Yes, you've always been strong since you were little, always so active and playful, keeping your parents busy managing you. And this is when you were 16, winning first prize in a short story writing competition for teenagers."
"May I see my work again?" Clara asked.
Mrs. Haughan then pulled out a notebook, in which a white sheet of paper was clipped. "Mother still has the original."
Clara looked intently at the paper:
"In a certain land, there lived two little girls in a forest with their mother. One day, their mother passed away, leaving the older sister to live alone with her younger sister in their small house. One day, the younger sister felt bored and wanted to leave the forest with her sister, but the older sister refused. So the younger sister left alone, leaving her older sister lonely in the small house. The younger sister had never left the forest before, so she accidentally wandered into a darker part of the forest. As she fumbled around, a strange creature suddenly appeared. 'Who are you?' the younger sister asked. The monster replied: 'I am the omniscient one. I know you are lost.'
(This part is still the story Clara is reading):
The little girl nodded. Seeing this, the monster smiled: 'I can show you the way, but we must make an exchange.' The little girl nodded enthusiastically: 'I agree!' With that, the monster told the little girl to open her mouth wide... and it slowly crawled into her mouth. So, the monster and the little girl were now one. Finally, the little girl managed to leave the forest and arrived at a beautiful town. This place was much more fun than her previous monotonous life. Before long, the younger sister had assimilated into the local population. She ate foods she had never tasted before, wore many beautiful clothes, and it seemed the locals did not discriminate against outsiders like her. Life passed peacefully until one day, the monster inside said: 'I... am hungry.'
The little girl was surprised: 'Aren't you eating everything I'm eating?'
The little girl ignored the monster's pleas and continued to enjoy herself. Then came the village's founding anniversary, that night, all the villagers dressed beautifully, preparing to light the festival bonfire. The little girl also participated, but in the middle of the feast, she suddenly felt a choking sensation... and then she lost control and savagely devoured each villager that night. Once full, the monster returned to its dormant state inside her. When the little girl awoke, she only witnessed the blood of the villagers. Then the little girl wandered to another land, and this time too... the monster awoke inside her and devoured each person. And again... and again... Until the little girl grew utterly weary, she decided to return to her forest. When she saw her older sister after many days, the exhausted younger sister hugged her tightly. Suddenly... 'I'm hungry again...' (the monster spoke), and the younger sister devoured her older sister. Now, she was alone, she told the monster: 'Come out, I no longer need your guidance...' and then... from within her emerged a monster twice its original size. But no sooner had it emerged than the younger sister... took a knife and cut it open to eat its flesh. Now she knew the way to new lands.