As soon as those words left her mouth, it was like a bolt of lightning striking down in the Su family's living room.The air froze.
All eyes turned to Huang Ying.I heard my mother's trembling voice:"What… what did you say? Who died?"
Huang Ying's expression was still off, unlike a normal person.Her attention was sharply focused.This time, she ran straight up to the family portrait, pointing at my head in the photo.
"She's dead. Dead. So much snow… so much blood!"
My mother grabbed Huang Ying by the collar of her down jacket."Where did you see that? How did she die?"
Perhaps my mother was too rough—Huang Ying suddenly remembered the days of torture she suffered on the ship and in the compound.She covered her head with both hands and screamed in panic:
"Don't hit me! I was wrong! I won't run again! I really won't run again!"
Seeing this, Huang Ying's parents rushed forward and shielded their daughter.
"Mrs. Su, we're terribly sorry. My daughter's just talking nonsense."
My mother was clearly shaken.She kept clutching at Huang Ying."Say it! Tell me clearly! How did she die?"
But the louder my mother shouted, the more terrified Huang Ying became.She just kept crying, curling into herself."I'm scared. I really don't dare anymore…"
I grew anxious watching her.Huang Ying had already said the key word from that night—snow.That meant she must have seen something!
But now her mind was unstable, and my mother's panic only made her forget what she was trying to say.All she could do was cry and hide.
"Mom, calm down. The girl just went through trauma in Jindian," Su Ning'an stepped forward and held my mother back.
Huang Ying's mother turned pale with fright.She had come to express gratitude, but her daughter suddenly said something like this.Apologetically, she said,"I'm sorry, my daughter's been mentally disturbed. She didn't mean to curse Miss Su.She's… she's a lunatic, her words don't mean anything."
Then she pulled her daughter away forcefully.As they walked into the falling snow, Huang Ying kept muttering,"Blood… so much blood! Someone's dead!"
The butler hurried to close the front door.
My mother tugged on my father's sleeve."Could it be that Su Wan really…?"
My father frowned tightly, subconsciously reaching for a cigarette.
I looked toward Lu Shiyan.He had been silent ever since Huang Ying appeared, his brows furrowed as if deep in thought.Maybe he was trying to make sense of what she said.But I had forgotten—he was always indecisive by nature.
At that moment, all it took was for Su Ning'an to open her mouth, and everything would change.Sure enough, she stood up, smiling lightly at everyone.
"Dad, Mom, do you really believe the words of a lunatic?If my sister were really dead, then how do you explain those photos?She must've done those things before the wedding, right?"
"That's impossible. Before the wedding she was at the orphanage every day—the director can vouch for that. And before that she just had a mis—"
Lu Shiyan stopped himself abruptly.
My mother turned to him."Had a what?"
"Nothing. Mom, when I deleted those photos, I asked the administrator for the originals.The shooting date was five days after she disappeared.By then Huang Ying had already been kidnapped.So how could she have known anything about Su Wan?"
That gave Lu Shiyan the excuse he needed.His expression visibly eased.
If I was really dead,and he had cheated with Su Ning'an while believing I was alive,how could he ever live with himself?
I saw him clearly now—to him, the most important thing would always be himself, never anyone else.
My mother sighed."This girl… she's always causing trouble. Maybe it'd be better if she really died out there."
I knew she was just speaking out of anger.But I was already dead.
"Since she no longer cares about this family," my mother said coldly,"then we won't care about her either. I'll just pretend I never had this daughter."
See?All Su Ning'an had to do was open her mouth, and everyone fell under her spell.
Of course—they would rather believe their living, well-behaved daughterthan a mad girl's rambling words.
My mother, still uneasy about the photos, tested the waters:"Shiyan, if Su Wan does come back, and the photos are real… what will you do?You've been together for years…"
It seemed the Su family still couldn't bear to lose this marriage.
I thought Lu Shiyan would say "divorce" without hesitation.But he didn't.
His face darkened."When she comes back, we'll talk then."
After saying that, he made up an excuse and left.
The entire Su household was shrouded in gloom.My mother lost her appetite, muttering about how shameless I was,how I could do something so disgraceful.
My father, who cared most about the family's reputation, sat there smoking silently."If this turns out to be true,the Lu family definitely won't want her anymore."
"Not just the Lu family," my mother added."No decent family would accept a woman like that.If word spreads, our Su family's name will be ruined.And Ning'an hasn't even married yet."
Su Ning'an shook her head."Mom, it's okay. I'll stay single forever. I'll stay with you and Dad."
"Don't be silly!"
"There is another way," my father's heavy voice cut in.Everyone turned to look at him.
"Dad, what do you mean?"
"When a body develops a malignant tumor,what's the best way to treat it?"
"Remove the source."
"Exactly. Cut it off—otherwise the cancer cells spread and drag everyone down."
My brother stared at him."So, Dad… you mean—"
"Expel Su Wan from the family.Erase her name from the family register.From now on, she's no longer a member of the Su family.Whatever she's done will have nothing to do with us."
"This…"
"If this gets exposed by the Lu family,knowing old Master Lu's temper,he'll definitely take it out on us.Do you think we could survive that?We must sever ties with her as soon as possible."
My mother frowned."But you can't condemn Su Wan's character just because of a few photos.Isn't that too rash?"
"These photos speak for themselves!Ning'an, give me the originals.I'll have them tested.If they're proven real,I'll personally remove her from our genealogy!"
I didn't listen to what he said afterward.I went after Lu Shiyan.
I had long known I was not as valued as Su Ning'an,but my father had gone to Jindian searching for me,and my mother, though she cursed me,had lost sleep worrying about me.
I thought that meant they still loved me.
Now I knew—family affection could be that cold.
The thought made me laugh.Since that's the case,I don't want such love anymore.
After all, I'm already a dead person.What storm could I possibly stir?
As I let go, my body grew more and more transparent.
The only thing I couldn't let go of was Grandma.She was the only one left in this world who truly cared for me.
I just wanted to stay like this,to see her one last time,to send her off on her final journey.After that, I could move on to reincarnation.
But I didn't expect—fate struck again, without warning.
Early the next morning,as Lu Shiyan was driving to work,a loud crash echoed at the corner ahead.
I turned toward the sound—and in the next second,a girl in a light yellow down jacket was thrown three meters into the air.
A car accident!
There was a heavy thud as she hit the ground.Her face turned toward me.Bright red blood oozed from her nose and mouth.
When I saw that face,I screamed in horror—
"Huang Ying!!"