But before she could leave, Su father stopped her. "Miao Miao, we need to talk."
He began his rehearsed speech, almost word for word as in her past life.
He explained that she wasn't their real daughter, that she had been switched at birth. Su Ran Ran was the true daughter.
"But you are the daughter we raised for fourteen years," he added. "We love you. Since you are an orphan with nowhere to go, we will tell everyone you and Ran Ran are twin sisters."
He had already thought it through. If they claimed her as family, no one could gossip. Later, they would coax her into going to the countryside.
Once there, they would pull strings to keep her from ever returning.
Her job placement? That could go to Ran Ran too.
It was the best outcome—for them.
In her past life, those words had shattered her.
Disbelief. Destitution. Fear. Relief. All those emotions had been written on her face, and Su father had easily read them.
But now, her current face showed only a mocking smile.
Su father didn't understand what she meant but assumed she was in shock and disbelief.
He continued, "Su Miao Miao, you have to understand, you stole the place of our real daughter for fourteen years. We should hate you, but we don't. We know it wasn't your fault—"
Yet her smirk never faded.
Feeling it wasn't wise to overwhelm her with too much at once, he decided to let her calm down and digest the news first.
"Alright," he said. "Go to your room and rest for today. We will talk tomorrow."
Su Miao Miao turned and walked upstairs.
He watched her slim figure mount the stairs, then turned to Su mother. "Clean the empty room for Ran Ran."
At that moment, Su Ran Ran spoke softly, "Dad, I saw the room Sister Miao Miao stays in… and I like that room a lot. Can't I stay there?"
Su father looked at her and replied, "If you like it, you can have it. But only after she goes to the countryside. Right now, it's not wise to push her and make her hate us."
Su Ran Ran felt disappointed, but she quickly covered it with a cheerful voice. "Whatever Dad says. I can wait until Sister goes to the countryside. But… will she agree to go? It's not easy there. She doesn't look like someone who can bear hardship."
Su mother felt distressed. What a pitiful soul Su Ran Ran was.
Even after suffering for years, she was still kind enough to speak up for the girl who had stolen her rightful place.
Even though she had suffered all these years in countryside, she didn't want the Miao Miao to face the same fate.
She herself hadn't wanted Miao Miao to go to the countryside, thinking it would be too hard for her.
But then she thought—hadn't Ran Ran suffered the same hardships all these years?
Why should she continue to pity Miao Miao, who had taken her daughter's place?
Her heart turned colder toward Su Miao Miao.
Su father's gaze darkened as well.
"You don't have to worry about that," he said coldly. "I will handle it. Even if she doesn't want to, she has to go."
Su Ran Ran's lips curved slightly. She felt relieved.
When she had first laid eyes on Su Miao Miao, jealousy had burned in her chest.
Her skin was fair, her delicate frame carried soft curves, and she looked fragile and beautiful.
Meanwhile, Su Ran Ran had labored all her life. Her hands were rough and calloused, her skin darkened by the sun.
Her heart whispered fiercely: she must crush Su Miao Miao beneath her feet. Otherwise, she would never rise.
That evening, Su mother cleaned the empty room for Su Ran Ran, then went to the kitchen to cook.
Su Ran Ran followed her in.
"Go to your room, try on the new clothes, and rest. I'll call you when dinner is ready," Su mother said warmly.
"Mom, I usually do more than this at home. I'll help you," Su Ran Ran replied softly.
She wasn't serious about helping; she only wanted Su mother to feel distressed for her. And she succeeded.
Su mother's heart ached again for her pitiful child.
She gently pushed Su Ran Ran out of the kitchen. "Go rest. Either sit on the sofa or go to your room."
Once Su Ran Ran was gone, Su mother quietly wiped her tears. The more she thought about it, the more unfair it felt. Her biological daughter had suffered while the imposter had lived comfortably.
Her hatred for Su Miao Miao grew deeper.
Meanwhile, Su Miao Miao entered her own room.
She wanted to go and rest on space but she dared not leave it. What if someone noticed she wasn't there?
Her stone necklace still hung around her neck. It had always been there, for as long as she could remember.
But now, as she looked closely, she noticed something strange—the color had changed.
The dull gray stone had turned a clear green, glowing faintly, making it look precious and rare.
"This must be the reason for my rebirth… and for the space," she thought.
She took the necklace off and examined it. The thread was plain and black.
Before, when the stone looked worthless, no one had cared about it. It looked cheap.
That explained why the Jiang family hadn't taken it from her in her past life.
They had stripped her of everything else—even her few decent clothes had been coaxed away by her sisters-in-law.
There was no way this necklace would have been spared if it had looked valuable back then.
Now, with its beautiful green glow, it looked like a treasure.
She studied it carefully and noticed a faint mark on the stone. Her heart skipped.
The same mark was on her bosom—it was her birthmark.
Was there a connection?
She had no answers.
And there was no one to ask.