"My brother explained, 'Oh, that's our family photo. You should recognize everyone here. Right—didn't you used to know my sister? She—'"
Before he could finish, Huang Ying let out a piercing scream.She pointed at the picture, her face twisting in horror."Dead! She's dead!"
My heart jolted.
Huang Ying… She was taken two days after my death.Could it be—she saw something?
Excitement surged in my chest. I hadn't expected Huang Ying to become the key to unraveling everything.
"Xiaoying, tell me! What did you see?" I leaned close, desperate for her to answer.
The Su family all turned toward her, confused.Her mother apologized hastily, "I'm so sorry. The new year's just begun, and she's talking nonsense about death—it's terribly unlucky."
My mother frowned, clearly displeased."Exactly. What nonsense is this child spouting?"
"I'm truly sorry," Huang Ying's mother continued, wringing her hands. "She was kidnapped recently and suffered a breakdown. We thought she was improving, so we came to thank you in person, Madam Su. We didn't mean to upset anyone."
"It's fine, it's fine," my mother said curtly, forcing a smile but clearly annoyed. She found it inauspicious and just wanted them gone.
My father, however, stepped forward, eyes sharp."What do you mean, 'dead'? Speak clearly."
Huang Ying's finger trembled as she kept pointing at the photo, her voice trembling and broken—"Dead… dead…"
"Who's dead? What did you see?"
As my father moved closer, Huang Ying suddenly crouched down, clutching her head, shaking violently."Don't hit me! I won't run—I won't run anymore!"
"My apologies," said her father quickly, "her condition is unstable. We'll take her home now."
They left in a rush.
I watched, unwilling. The truth was right there, just within reach—yet snatched away because her mind was broken.
As she was dragged away, snowflakes swirled outside the window.Through the glass, I still heard her cry out:"Snow… dead… dead!"
"Sweetheart, don't talk nonsense, you're scaring people.""Don't be afraid, darling. Mommy and Daddy are here. No one will hurt you again."
The three of them embraced in the snow, and I—I envied them so much.
Once, I too had a family who loved me.But Su Ning'an destroyed all of that.Even in death, I was alone.
I sighed softly.Now I was certain—Huang Ying must have seen what happened that night.If her mind ever recovered, she could reveal the truth for me.
Inside the living room, my mother was still muttering complaints, her tone sharp and resentful."First day of the new year and someone comes into my house talking about death. Honestly—if she's mentally ill, she should stay home instead of spreading bad luck!"
My father sat silent, staring at the family portrait.He stood exactly where Huang Ying had been, eyes fixed on the photo—on me and Su Ning'an.
His voice was low."Who did she mean? Surely… she didn't mean Su Wan?"
"Don't say such unlucky things!" my mother snapped. "Even if that girl is unreliable, she'd never go as far as dying to make a point."
My brother chimed in, trying to ease the tension."Yeah, Su Wan's always been independent. It's just a runaway wedding. She wouldn't kill herself over that."
My father no longer had the heart to eat. He lit a cigarette, staring into the smoke as it curled upward."I sent her the message about Grandma's hospitalization. Even if she's angry at us—or at Shiyan—she's always been filial to her grandmother. It's been nearly a week. She hasn't come to see the old lady."
The ember flared between his fingers, glowing red.In the haze of smoke, I saw the deepening wrinkles around his eyes.It had only been a month, but he already looked years older.
The air grew heavier by the minute.Then Lu Shiyan finally spoke, his tone cold and taut."Don't worry. Su Wan won't die. She's doing just fine."
His jaw was clenched. Clearly, he believed every word Su Ning'an had told him.
"Shiyan, you've found her, haven't you?" my mother asked quickly.
"Please don't ask," he said. "She's fine. That's all you need to know."
My mother grabbed his sleeve."Where is she? New Year's is coming—she's still refusing to come home?"
"Come home?" My father snorted. "She dares?"
Sensing his shift in tone, my father's eyes narrowed."Shiyan… did Su Wan cause trouble outside? She's been spoiled since young. If she's done something wrong, please be patient with her. Marriage requires understanding."
Voices overlapped, concern and anger mixing in the room—until Su Ning'an spoke softly, "Mom, Dad, don't try to persuade anymore. Sister really did something wrong this time. She's too ashamed to come back."
"You know about it?" my brother asked sharply.
"Brother, I can't hide it anymore. I can't let you take the blame alone."
She took out her phone. My heart turned cold.
If she revealed that, the entire world would know Lu Shiyan had been cuckolded.
"An'an, don't!"
"I'm sorry, Brother."
She held up the phone. My mother leaned forward first—and when she saw the images on the screen, she screamed, nearly fainting.
"This isn't Su Wan! It can't be! I'd recognize my own daughter anywhere—she's not that kind of girl!"
Lu Shiyan covered his face with his hands."Do you think I wouldn't recognize my own wife?"
Those photos—every detail of my body exposed, unmistakable.
"It must be fake," my mother gasped. "Edited!"
"I had them tested," Lu Shiyan said bitterly. "They're real."
My mother turned to Su Ning'an, trembling."How did you even get those photos?"
"Mom," Ning'an whispered tearfully, "someone online sent them to me. They said they found them… on that kind of website."
"That kind…?"
My brother adjusted his glasses awkwardly."An adult site. Openly accessible overseas."
"You mean… people all over the world have seen my daughter's body?"
My mother's knees buckled. My father barely caught her in time.
Su Ning'an hurried to her side, pretending concern."Mom, don't worry. As soon as I found out, I paid the site to take everything down. It hasn't spread in our country. Hardly anyone knows."
"That shameless girl!" my mother cried, clutching her chest. "I worried for her day and night—and she was doing this?!"
"Maybe she was angry about the broken engagement," Ning'an said softly, "but she never should've gone that far…"
"No one is to look for her again," my mother declared through tears. "The Su family has no such daughter!"
Just then, the door burst open.
Huang Ying staggered in, covered in snow, eyes wild.She pointed straight at my photo—her voice sharp, breaking the silence:
"Dead. She's dead!"