Chapter 13 is about Mom's Story

Don't be fooled by Bai Yu's youth; his mind was full of schemes. While Bai Ye would display any thought, whether liking or disliking, outright on his face,

Bai Yu was certainly the type to keep everything to himself, striking a deadly blow when least expected.

He would always scheme from the shadows without getting the slightest bit dirty—his thoughts were very deep.

Even then, still just a child, his gaze was unfathomable, looking like a vortex that one could never see the end of.

Bai Zhi observed Bai Yu, who was always the most sensible,

Whether it was Bai Ye pushing Bai Zhi down or now trying to coax Bai Zhi out, he wouldn't speak himself but would have Bai Ye do it.

He was the one with the deepest thoughts.

Bai Yu thought he was good at disguising, but he didn't know that Bai Zhi knew everything. Although many details were fuzzy, Bai Zhi had a general understanding,

The disaster that befell the original owner in the end was Bai Yu's suggestion—to make the original owner neither live nor die,

Even though the original owner was his biological sister who had done nothing terribly evil or vile, and even if she despised the group pet, it was all out in the open,

Always fighting openly, without using any conspiracies. Moreover, shouldn't the original owner have the right to be angry?

But Bai Yu did not care, thinking that the original owner had ruined the group pet's happiness, so naturally, he sought revenge,

The original owner, out of anger, wrote novels where she achieved everything she couldn't in real life through all means in the stories—kidnapping, car accidents, amnesia, and the like,

But those were just novels, and naturally, the writing reflected the author's thoughts. Yet, the malicious-minded Bai Yu believed that these were the original owner's tactics against the group pet, eventually turning them into reality against the original owner,

Being treated like that by her own brother, how much must her heart have ached?

In the end, disfigured and losing everything, she was even married off to a sinister male character who tormented her.

They truly didn't deserve to be brothers!

At this moment, although they hadn't done anything, that was the original owner's entire life, and she vowed never to associate with them!

As for revenge, the naive young lady, the original owner, had never thought about it; she just felt too much pain and didn't want to mix with them anymore, especially since the current Bai Yu and the others were not like their future selves,

They hadn't done those monstrous things yet. In any case, the original owner's thought was to stay far away from them, forever. She didn't want any so-called affection anymore, never again.

When Bai Zhi arrived, she naturally understood the original owner's thoughts—she actually felt hatred and resentment, and even more, injustice, but all this was because she had treated them as brothers, and now she had let go of that,

So to her, they were just blood relations.

Call her cowardly or say she lacked courage, but she simply didn't want to entangle with them. It would be cool to have revenge as soon as entering the novel and slapping faces left and right, but life is not a novel.

She had neither the capability nor could she win—the others were the darling daughters of heaven, getting whatever they wanted. How could she compare?

Don't joke around—wouldn't it be better just to lead a peaceful life with Grandpa?

She didn't need leverage, nor did she want to cling to the group pet's coattails; she just needed to strive on her own and live with Grandpa,

But if they ever came to provoke...

Bai Zhi's eyes narrowed, showing a trace of coldness. She was no soft touch to be trifled with.

She would definitely make them pay.

Even if she couldn't beat them, inflicting mutual damage was still an option,

Bai Zhi had thought a lot, but Bai Yu was constantly observing her, trying to decipher something from her tiny face.

Everyone wishes they could be a little slimmer and look a bit more attractive, right?

But not this kind of thin—Bai Zhi was clearly malnourished, starved, her whole body as thin as a rack of bones. No, calling her a rack of bones is already a compliment—she was more like a bamboo pole!

Yet, the group pet had been at their home for two months and had noticeably gained weight. How could this be fair?

It was her own brother, but he gave all his care and love to another child whose background was unclear. And she was supposed to cook and do laundry for them?

Any ten-year-old would find this incomprehensible, right?

"I don't want to go out, I need to go back and cook!"

In the hopeful gaze of the group pet, Bai Zhi shook her head and outright refused.

So, they thought she would just go out because they said so? In their dreams!

She didn't have time to watch their deep sibling affection—her time was precious.

Upon hearing this, Bai Dan didn't insist, knowing it was normal for Xingxing not to want to see Bai Ye right now.

"If Xingxing doesn't want to go out, that's fine. You guys go back, cook your own meals. You're thirteen years old; surely, you can't still be unable to cook?"

Bai Yu and Bai Ye were twins, already thirteen this year, and in sixth grade. They started school late; otherwise, they should have been in junior high by now—except that junior high now required exams.

Bai Ye's face reddened when he heard this. They indeed didn't know how to cook.

"Grandpa, I've been busy studying. I came to see Bai Zhi today to talk to her about mom's matter!"

Bai Ye's eyes shifted, and he swiftly concocted an excuse and blurted it out!

Mom?

Bai Zhi frowned—her feelings towards the original owner's mother were complex.

She had always been a teacher in town, and when the original owner's family left, she didn't go with them. One could say she devoted her life to the school and the students.

She was selfless and great, but she really wasn't a good mother. To go teach, she taught the young original owner how to cook and do laundry,

then she went off to the town, coming back once a month. Most of her salary went to impoverished students, yet she was oblivious to what her daughter was enduring during her absence!

After their grandfather died, the original owner's father, as well as Bai Yu and Bai Ye, blamed everything on the original owner, causing her immense guilt and self-reproach.

The original owner's mother didn't, but she also wasn't there to comfort her; even when her daughter was going through the most painful time of life and death, she was with other children instead. She was great, but for the original owner, it was...

But then, without expectations, there were no disappointments. The original owner didn't expect much from her, so naturally, there were no former hopes.

However, at this moment, the original owner was still very much looking forward to her mother's return, so she really couldn't slip up, especially since Bai Yu was too clever and could easily spot something amiss.

"Alright, I'll go out with you. Is mom coming back?"

It just so happened to be the day the original owner's mother returned once a month.

Of course, she wasn't entirely neglectful of her own children—she would always bring some food and drinks back for each child, distributing without favoritism. But as soon as she left, the original owner's share would be swindled away,

with a particularly good reason: the group pet was still young and needed the nutrition.

Truly blinding! Who really needed the nutrition?

"Yes, mom is coming back today. Come with us."

Bai Ye nodded, pulling Bai Zhi outside.