002

With a loud bang, the car door slammed shut, and the vehicle sped away, leaving me alone in this desolate countryside.

Pain slowly seeped through my body, but my tears had long dried up over the past five years—only a dull ache remained.

I struggled to get up when, suddenly, a car stopped right in front of me.

The window rolled down, revealing a face of striking elegance.

Shen Zechuan.

Seeing who it was, I steadied myself and turned away, walking forward without a second glance.

He seemed surprised by my indifference. His brows furrowed as he called out—

"Su Xiran, stop."

"Get in the car."

I let out a mocking laugh.

"Shouldn't Young Master Shen be accompanying his fiancée? Why are you wasting your time with me?"

Lifting my bruised hand, I pointed at my battered limbs and sneered—

"Or do you think my injuries have healed too well? Are you here to break them again?"

Shen Zechuan and I had grown up together.

He had always been cold to others, but there was a time when I thought I was the exception—when I foolishly believed we were in love.

That illusion shattered the moment he realized I refused to take the fall for Lin Jiaojiao.

Without hesitation, he personally broke my legs.

Then, one by one, he crushed my fingers, ensuring that I wouldn't even have the ability to write.

"Ranran, this is what you owe Jiaojiao."

"You shouldn't have run."

I cried, begged, and even knelt, hoping he would show me a sliver of mercy.

But Shen Zechuan only looked at me with cold indifference.

Then, without hesitation, he handed me over to the furious Song family.

I could only watch helplessly as they surrounded me, fists and insults raining down like a storm.

He stood there, watching.

Unmoved.

And when the pain became unbearable, when my consciousness teetered on the edge, I heard his voice—

"This is the sin you must atone for."

"Su Xiran, five years have passed, and you still haven't learned your lesson."

"If it weren't for you, would Jiaojiao have ended up in that place? Would she have been forced to harm the young master of the Song family?"

"People like you deserve to rot in prison!"

"If it weren't for Grandma Lin being critically ill and asking to see you, do you really think I'd waste my time on a venomous woman like you?"

I caught a few key words instantly, my head snapping toward Shen Zechuan.

"What did you just say?"

"Grandma is seriously ill?"

For a brief moment, Shen Zechuan looked stunned, but then his lips curled into a mocking sneer.

"Who else could be to blame? Five years ago, your sins nearly sent Grandma Lin to her grave."

"Even now, she insists on seeing you one last time and demanded someone bring you back."

I had no time to waste on Shen Zechuan's nonsense. Without hesitation, I climbed into the car.

"Hurry up and take me to her!"

Seeing my urgency, a flicker of suppressed anger crossed Shen Zechuan's face, but he still started the engine.

The entire ride, my mind was consumed with worry over Grandma's condition. I didn't even notice the darkening storm brewing beside me.

The moment the car stopped, I bolted out, sprinting toward the hospital.

But as I reached Grandma's room, my hand hovered over the doorknob, frozen in place.

Five years ago, aside from my parents, my brother, and Shen Zechuan—everyone believed I was the one who harmed the young master of the Song family.

Would Grandma believe me?

Would she still want to see me?

Just as doubt crept in, a frail yet familiar voice came from inside—

"Is that you, Ranran?"

A voice from inside the room made my eyes turn red in an instant.

I pushed open the door and threw myself into Grandma's embrace.

"Grandma, it's me."

She cupped my face, her trembling hands unable to stop the tears from falling.

"I knew it. I knew Ranran would come to see me."

"These five years, you've suffered so much."

I fought back my tears, shaking my head.

"As long as I can see you, Grandma, it was all worth it."

Grandma held my rough, calloused hands, her voice filled with distress.

"Ranran, tell me the truth."

"Did you really harm the young master of the Song family?"

I understood what she meant. She didn't believe I would seduce him, let alone hurt him.

As long as I said "no," she would fight for me, no matter the cost.

But before I could answer, a familiar voice came from the doorway.

"Mom, if it wasn't her, then who else could it be?"

Lin Father and Lin Mother entered, with Lin Jiaojiao and Lin Zechuan following behind. Their expressions turned unnatural the moment they saw me.

Lin Mother sneered.

"If it wasn't her, are you saying it was Jiaojiao?"

"She took Jiaojiao's place for twenty years. It's only natural that she'd try to climb the social ladder when she couldn't handle hardship."

Hearing this, Grandma's expression turned cold, and she scolded,

"Nonsense!"

"Even if Ranran isn't your biological daughter, she is still my granddaughter."

"While I'm alive, I will ensure she has everything she needs. And when I die, I won't let her suffer either!"

Lin Mother immediately slammed her purse on the table in anger.

"Mom, what do you mean by that?"

"Jiaojiao is your real granddaughter! Are you seriously planning to give your wealth to an outsider?"

Lin Father quickly chimed in, his voice filled with urgency.

"That's right, Mom."

"Jiaojiao is your biological granddaughter. It's one thing to take care of her now, but how can you just give away money like that?"

Lin Zechuan, his face twisted with fury, glared at me.

"Su Xiran, what kind of spell did you put on Grandma?"

"You should've rotted in prison! What the hell are you even doing back here?"

Every word was a dagger to my heart, their loathing and hostility crashing over me like a relentless tide.

Lin Jiaojiao's lips twitched slightly, a fleeting look of satisfaction flashing across her face as she held Lin Mother's hand, pretending to console her.

"Mom, don't say that about Sister."

"She just got out of prison..."

Before she could finish, Grandma slammed her cane against the floor, her voice thunderous.

"Enough!"

"Did Ranran ask to be switched at birth?"

"Ask yourselves—did the Su family ever mistreat Jiaojiao? They even gave up their lives to save her!"

"Now, Ranran is all alone in this world. If you won't love her, I will!"

"And if this argument continues, I'll have someone investigate exactly what happened with her imprisonment!"

At the mention of this, guilt flickered across their faces.

Seeing their silence, Grandma's expression grew even colder.

"My birthday is coming up soon."

"That day, I will personally bring Ranran to the banquet."

"I want the entire capital to know—

Ranran is not alone. She has someone who loves her!"