Bright Future

The car slowly returned to the Song family compound.

Song Zhizhi walked into the familiar living room. Her first glimpse of it was truly a moment that felt like a thousand years.

At this time in the afternoon, her father was at the office, her brother was at school, and her stepmother was out doing beauty treatment. The only ones in the house were a bunch of servants who greeted her respectfully, to which she responded with a smile. She returned to her room and lay down on the familiar bed.

She closed her eyes and quietly took in everything that had happened.

In her previous life, her stepmother Nie Wenzhi and her pair of children had come at her with ill intentions. In this life, it was payback time.

Thinking this and that, Song Zhizhi eventually fell asleep.

When she woke up, she confirmed once again that it was still 6 years ago.

Song Zhizhi stretched and walked out of the room feeling refreshed.

Her father had come home from work, her brother had come home from school, Nie Wenzhi had come home from her beauty treatment, and Nie Xiaofei had also returned after choosing her gown. They were all in the living room, so the house felt very lively.

Once upon a time, she was content to have this large family of hers.

Her mother had passed away early -- when she was 8 and her brother was 5. During those times, the family was mired in grief and depression. It was not until a year later, when her mother's best friend, Nie Wenzhi, came into the family with Nie Xiaofei did the family regain its warmth. Song Zhizhi was actually grateful to her for that.

A million curses rushed through her mind now.

Song Zhizhi walked to the group. She ran straight to her father, Song Shan, and hugged his neck. "Dad!"

It had been a long time since she had shown such affection to her father. Because she had insisted on calling off the engagement, the relationship between the father and daughter pair had been somewhat strained recently.

Song Shan looked at his daughter, a little surprised. "Why so passionate all of a sudden? Did something good happen?"

"Yup, something amazing happened," Song Zhizhi smiled.

Being reborn was the most amazing thing to ever happen to her.

"It's Xiaofei's birthday tomorrow. Isn't that worth being happy about?" said Song Zhizhi meaningfully.

Nie Wenzhi, the lady sitting next to Song Shan, interjected with a laugh, "It warms my heart to see Zhizhi and Xiaofei having such a good relationship. I must have done a lot of good in my past life to be rewarded with this."

Song Shan nodded and complimented her, "It's also thanks to you. I know taking care of this family for all these years has been hard work."

"How can you call it hard work when it's the source of my happiness? You don't know how grateful I am to be able to marry you and help Lan take care of Zhizhi and Zhidao," Nie Wenzhi remarked sincerely. "I'll be angry if you say something like that again."

"Okay, fine, fine," Song Shan smiled affectionately.

Nie Wenzhi sure had been playing her dad like a fiddle with her sweet words all these years.

Reading the atmosphere, Nie Xiaofei also chimed in, "I'm really happy to be able to join this big family. I get a mom, a dad, a sister and a brother. I'm so content."

Song Zhizhi sneered.

"Oh, that's right, sis, I picked out a gown for you too. Let me show you," said Nie Xiaofei cheerfully. She seemed to have completely forgotten about the little unpleasantness that had taken place this afternoon.

Song Zhizhi took the gift box Nie Xiaofei offered her. The gown inside was no doubt something that Nie Xiaofei had picked to be an accompaniment to her own gown. Song Zhizhi lightly said "thank you" without much enthusiasm.

Nie Xiaofei was a little surprised. She had a feeling that the current Song Zhizhi was somehow different from before, but she could not pinpoint how exactly. She could only hide her suspicion and try to act normal.

The Song family's living room was still filled with laughter, same as ever. It was a heartwarming scene.

After dinner, everyone went back to their own room.

After staying in her room for a while, Song Zhizhi looked at the time and walked to the kitchen. As she expected, a servant in the kitchen was preparing a glass of hot milk for her father. It was a habit that Nie Wenzhi had instilled in him.

"Miss," the servant greeted her respectfully upon seeing her.

"Is this for my father?"

"Yes, miss."

"I'll take it to him."

"But ma'am would always take it to him herself," replied the servant.

"It's okay, just leave it with me," Song Zhizhi took the milk.

If Song Zhizhi's guess was right, this milk would no longer be milk once it had passed through Nie Wenzhi's hands.

She carried the milk to her father's room and knocked on the door.

Nie Wenzhi was helping Song Shan get into bed. She opened the door and was a little surprised to see Song Zhizhi there, but she still remarked warmly and intimately, "Oh, it's Zhizhi."

"I brought the milk for dad."

"Oh, I was just about to go get it myself. Saves me the trouble. Here, give it to me." Without so much as batting an eyelid, Nie Wenzhi said with a smile on her face.

"It's fine, I'll take it to him." Song Zhizhi walked into the room without giving Nie Wenzhi a chance to refuse.

Nie Wenzhi's expression changed slightly, but she recovered almost instantly.

Song Zhizhi brought the milk to her father.

"Well look at this. The sun must be rising from the west," Song Shan remarked as he took the glass. 

"I know I've been doing a lot of things that make you unhappy lately, so I've come to make amends," said Song Zhi Zhi coquettishly.

"It's all right, your Aunt Wenzhi has put in a lot of good words for you. If you really don't like Ji Baijian, there's nothing that can be done about it. Besides, considering his condition, if you really do marry him, it could indeed make you unhappy for the rest of your life. The Ji family has given me a call to complain about the big fuss you made today, but I can just pay them a visit later to apologize. You're daddy's precious little girl, so it's not like I can stay angry at you forever."

That's right, her father had always doted on her ever since she was young. Perhaps he was overcompensating because he felt that she lacked maternal love.

In addition, he also felt like he had done her wrong to arrange her marriage with the Ji family without her consent, so he had always given her whatever she wanted ever since she was a kid.

"Thanks, dad," Song Zhizhi watched Song Shan finish the milk before she spoke again, "I'm going back to my room to rest. You should sleep early."

"Mmm," Song Shan nodded. "You too."

After leaving her father's room, Song Zhizhi walked to the room of her younger brother, Song Zhidao and pushed the door open.

"Sis, I'm an adult now, so can you please knock before you come in?" the 19-year-old Song Zhidao remarked unhappily. 

Song Zhizhi did not enter the room. She simply leaned on the doorway and said, "It sure is a nice change to see you alive and kicking."

She never wanted to see her brother covered in blood and not moving an inch again!

"What the hell are you talking about, sis?" Song Zhidao asked in exasperation.

"It's nothing. Get some rest."

Saying that, Song Zhizhi closed the door to her brother's room.

From this moment on, she would be preparing a future so bright for her brother that Yi Wenhan could not even touch!