Realization

Li Na walked out of the alley, her head still filled with thoughts of the encounter with Xiao Mei and her friends. She was annoyed and frustrated, feeling as though she had been backed into a corner. As she walked, she couldn't help but wonder how she had ended up in this situation.

She knew she could have handled it herself before Tang Zheng had shown up. In fact, she had dealt with far worse in her past life. But something about Tang Zheng's cold, imposing presence had unsettled her.

Li Na walked into her home, taking off her shoes at the doorway and heading towards the living room where her mother sat, looking solemn. "I'm home," she said. Li Na sighed inwardly as she walked into the living room.

"Li Na, have you seen your sister?" her mother asked in a cold voice.

Li Na was too tired to deal with her mother's attitude, but she knew better than to show her indifference. "No, I haven't seen her today."

Her mother's eyes narrowed. "You should know where your sister is," she said sharply. "You two are sisters, after all."

Li Na suppressed a sigh. She didn't know why her mother was asking her this, since she and her sister attended different schools.

"I'll ask around and see if anyone knows where she is," Li Na said politely, trying to be filial piety.

Her mother snorted. "Don't bother," she said dismissively. "You never cared about your sister anyway. You only think about yourself."

With a resigned sigh, Li Na walked past her mother, her mother's words hit her like a ton of bricks. "Look at you, so useless and stupid. You're lucky we even bother to keep you around. No wonder nobody wants to be your friend. You're such a burden on this family," her mother continued. "I can't believe I have to put up with you every day."

Li Na couldn't take such an insult coming from her rotten mouth

"Look at you, bickering with a teenager when you could have used this time to get yourself out of the house if you were so concerned. If you don't like me, why would you even bother to ask me? And if you call me useless and stupid, then what are you? Didn't you give birth to me? I must have inherited it from you then"

Zhang Mei stood up from her seat in disbelief. "Who do you think you are talking to?" she yelled.

Li Na smirked. "Was I talking to a ghost? Well, whatever you heard, then take it like that."

She turned on her heels and walked up the stairs, ignoring the loud screams from Zhang Mei.

Backstory...

Li Na's mother grew up from the countryside, where there was a strong preference for having a male child to carry on the family name and legacy. When Li Na's mother got pregnant, she and her husband were hoping for a son. However, during the ultrasound, they found out that they were expecting twins, a boy and a girl.

Li Na's mother was ecstatic at the news of having a son, but she was also happy to have a daughter. However, her happiness was short-lived when during childbirth, the boy was stillborn, leaving Zhang Mei devastated by the loss of her son. Li Na, on the other hand, miraculously survived.

Her mother was heartbroken, as she had been hoping for a boy to carry on the family name and continue the family business.

As Li Na grew up her mother's resentment towards her only worsened. She would often compare Li Na to her brother, the perfect son who never came to be.

Despite the constant criticism and neglect from her mother, Li Na always tried her best to win her mother's love and approval. She excelled in school and tried to be the perfect daughter, but nothing seemed to be enough for her mother.

One day, Li Na overheard her mother talking to a friend, confessing that she still grieved for the son she lost, and that she couldn't help but feel resentful towards Li Na for surviving instead. It was a painful realization for Li Na, but it also gave her a new perspective on her mother's behavior towards her.

From then on, Li Na stopped trying to please her mother and focused on her own goals and happiness. Despite the pain of her mother's disapproval, she learned to love and accept herself for who she was and realized that her worth was not dependent on her mother's approval.

After losing her son Zhang Mei transferred her love and affection to Li Na's sister Li Jing, because of the circumstances surrounding Li Na's birth.

Present...

Li Na collapsed on her bed and exhaled a long breath. She felt the weight of her troubles pressing down on her chest. She knew that she couldn't count on her family, who had abandoned her when she needed them the most. She had to find a way to survive on her own.

As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, a flash of memory crossed her mind. She remembered her previous life, when she had designed a jewelry. She had created beautiful pieces of art, with intricate patterns and dazzling colors. She had loved sketching during her free time, and had been proud of her talent.

In that moment, she discovered that those skills were still within her grasp, feeling excited, she leaped out of bed, reaching for a sketchbook and pencil. As she began to draw some designs, inspired by her past creations.

She worked for hours, until her hand was sore and her eyes were tired. Gazing at her sketches, she grinned. They were beautiful, and she was confident they'd be popular.

Placing the sketchbook on the bedside table alongside a lamp, she switched off the light and nestled under the covers. Glancing at the sketches one more time, feeling happy. She closed her eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.