"Good afternoon. I'd like to see a doctor," Mei Yang said calmly at the front desk, her voice soft but carrying the kind of composed authority that made people instinctively take her seriously.
The receptionist looked up from her computer, offering a polite smile. "Please have a seat, ma'am. I'll notify you when the doctor is ready."
Mei Yang nodded and walked toward the waiting area, her movements smooth and measured, every step deliberate. She had barely settled into a chair when her phone vibrated insistently in her hand.
The name flashing on the screen made her lips curl faintly.
Yan Yang.
Oh? My dearest sister, she thought, sarcasm sharp and cold.
She answered the call with the same calm tone she always wore.
"Hey, sister," Yan Yang's voice was soft, almost coaxing, like honey with a hidden sting. "I heard you already left the mall."
"Yes," Mei Yang replied, her voice flat, indifferent.
A brief pause followed, as if Yan Yang were carefully measuring each word. When she spoke again, there was a faint tremor in her tone, an almost pitiful lilt.
"Then… can you help me pay for my clothes? You can just transfer the money to me."
Mei Yang almost laughed, though she kept it tucked behind her composed exterior.
"I'd love to help," she said lightly, her voice carrying the kind of casual detachment that cut sharper than any blade, "but I don't have any money with me right now."
"Huh?" Yan Yang's voice faltered, confusion mixing with the first hints of panic. "What do you mean, sister?"
"I mean exactly what I said," Mei Yang replied coolly, her tone polite but final. "I'm officially broke."
A stunned silence fell on the other end of the line.
"…Broke?" Yan Yang repeated, panic seeping into every syllable she spoke, betraying the careful sweetness she always tried to maintain.
"Yes," Mei Yang said softly. "You can ask Dad instead."
Without waiting for an answer, she ended the call. Her lips curved into a faint, satisfied smile as she stared down at her phone.
"That money-sucking demon actually thought she could still use me," she muttered under her breath, the words tinged with amusement and bitter remembrance.
"How delusional."
In her past life, she would have rushed back to the mall, apologizing, paying, begging for forgiveness. And what did she get in return? Betrayal. Ruin. Death.
This time… this time, things would be different.
"Ma'am," the receptionist called, breaking her from her thoughts. "The doctor is ready to see you now."
"Thank you," Mei Yang said, rising gracefully. She followed the receptionist to the office, every step purposeful, radiating quiet control.
"Good afternoon," she greeted softly as she entered, taking a seat across from the man in the white coat.
"Good afternoon. I'm Dr. Xiang Yu," the doctor said, extending his hand. "How can I help you today?"
"I'd like to take a test," Mei Yang said after a brief pause. Her voice remained calm, but her eyes held a subtle sharpness. "Recently, my face has been itching. I can't explain it clearly, but I want a full check-up."
Dr. Xiang Yu studied her expression, noting the precision in her words and the calm confidence that radiated from her. He nodded.
"Alright. We'll run a few tests. The results should be ready in one or two days."
"Thank you," Mei Yang replied softly.
Within minutes, the procedures were complete.
"You can come back in two days to collect the results," the doctor said, standing as Mei Yang rose.
"Doctor," she added, her gaze sharp and unwavering, "I want the results kept confidential. If anyone asks, don't mention that I was here."
The doctor paused briefly, then inclined his head. "Understood."
Soon, Mei Yang was back in her car, the city sprawling outside the window like a stage set for her calculated moves. In her past life, she had counted on countless connections among the elites and powerful figures—but her family's greed and foolishness had cost her every single one. They were gone, one by one, leaving her alone and vulnerable.
This time, she would not only rebuild everything she had lost…
No.
She would build something even greater.
Her fingers hovered over her phone before she finally dialed a number she hadn't contacted in years. The line connected almost immediately, the familiar voice of the head of one of the world's top five laboratories answering with a faint note of surprise.
"I need your help," Mei Yang said quietly, but there was an unmistakable command in her tone, the kind that left no room for refusal.
Back at the Yang Villa, chaos erupted as soon as Mei Yang returned.
The moment she stepped into the living room, the sharp sound of something shattering against the floor cut through the air.
"You unfilial daughter!" Hao Yang roared, his face red with anger. "How dare you leave your sister alone at the mall without paying for her clothes?"
Before Mei Yang could even speak, Yan Yang rushed forward, her movements urgent, dramatic.
"Sister!" Yan Yang cried, tears instantly streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, I really didn't want to tell Dad. But Daddy noticed I was upset, and I couldn't hide it anymore…"
She dabbed delicately at her tears, trembling as if the entire world had wronged her. Every gesture was calculated, every sob a performance.
Mei Yang watched silently, her lips curving into a faint, dangerous smile.
Same words. Same tears. Same act.
In her past life, this performance had fooled everyone—including herself. She had rushed to cover for Yan Yang, to smooth things over, to pay for the extravagant clothes without question. And what did it gain her? Nothing but betrayal. Ruin. And heartbreak.
This time, Mei Yang only felt amusement. She had learned the patterns, studied the scripts, and now she held the power. She would no longer be manipulated, no longer the helpless one to be used and discarded.
Her gaze swept over Yan Yang, noting every trembling lip, every carefully placed tear. She didn't need to speak. Her presence alone was enough.