Ruan Jiaojiao was being held hostage by her own biological mother on the edge of the rooftop.
The wind on the roof howled; in the depths of winter, it felt like blades grazing Ruan Jiaojiao’s cheeks.
"Stay back, all of you! Otherwise, we’ll jump!"
Beside her, Ruan Jiaojiao’s mother, Ruan Qianlian, was screaming. She shoved Ruan Jiaojiao, forcing her to stumble toward the ledge.
There were several other people on the rooftop besides them. Among them was Fu Dexin, the head of the Fu Family Third Branch and Ruan Jiaojiao’s biological father.
He watched the two women on the ledge with a face full of anxiety, terrified that one wrong move would send them plummeting. As a prominent, wealthy clan in Yumen City, a scandal involving a mistress forcing her way in and then threatening to jump off a building with her daughter would undoubtedly tarnish the family’s image. The family business would likely suffer the fallout, and the Elder Master would surely skin him alive if that happened.
"Don't do anything rash. We can talk this through properly," Fu Dexin said, trying to appease them, though a flicker of disgust flashed in his eyes.
Ruan Qianlian was agitated. "I’ve already made myself perfectly clear! Jiaojiao is your daughter, too. The paternity test is right there in front of you!"
"I want you to bring us into the Fu family, give us a place to stay, and pay for Jiaojiao’s upbringing and tuition!"
Fu Dexin gritted his teeth and nodded. "Fine, I agree. Everyone, come down first."
Ruan Qianlian was overjoyed, though she asked uncertainly, "Really? If you dare lie to me, I’ll die right here in front of you!"
"I’m serious. I’m not lying to you."
Having received the answer she wanted, Ruan Qianlian finally let out a breath and tremblingly climbed down from the edge.
Ruan Jiaojiao supported her mother, her head slightly bowed, her face devoid of any expression.
Seeing that they were safe, Fu Dexin’s previously conciliatory demeanor instantly turned cold. He said nothing, let out a cold snort, and flicked his sleeves as he walked away.
"Mom, are you all right?" Watching the members of the Fu family turn and head downstairs one by one, Ruan Jiaojiao supported her mother and slowly followed.
Ruan Qianlian shook her head, saying with a mix of relief and apology, "Jiaojiao, I scared you just now, didn't I?"
"I’m fine, Mom. Now that we can enter the Fu family, our lives will get better."
"Yes, but I imagine life inside the Fu family won't be easy... It’s all my fault. I was deceived by Fu Dexin back then. He told me he was single... After I fell pregnant with you, he vanished. Now that we’ve returned to the Fu family, we’ll surely be met with cold stares from the others." There were a few extra wrinkles on Ruan Qianlian’s face, now nearly forty.
In her youth, she had been a "Xiaohua" of Jiangnan—gentle and exquisite in appearance, yet bold and open in character. At twenty, she met Fu Dexin and fell in love under his sweet talk. She thought he was her Prince Charming, only for him to disappear a year later. She then gave birth to Ruan Jiaojiao.
Ruan Jiaojiao had been through thick and thin with her mother for eighteen years. It had been a bitter eighteen years, and her feelings toward her mother were complex. Her mother loved her, but she loved herself more. For eighteen years, her mother had made ends meet by designing clothes for others, never truly depriving her of food or school. But her mother loved gambling. She was always losing, and when her earnings weren't enough, she would often turn to loan sharks.
As far back as she could remember, Ruan Jiaojiao’s life had consisted of constantly moving, waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of pounding doors, and being threatened by debt collectors. They had lived this life of hiding for eighteen years. It was only recently that her mother accidentally discovered her first love from all those years ago was actually the third young master of the wealthy Fu family in the Capital, now the head of the Third Branch.
She was ecstatic and dragged Ruan Jiaojiao to the doorstep. Who would have guessed that Fu Dexin would not only deny everything but also have them thrown out?
In the end, it was Ruan Jiaojiao who suggested the idea to her mother to ensure their entry into the Fu family: hold her hostage on the roof and use their lives as leverage. It was a dangerous gamble, but the result was exactly as she had anticipated. The Fu family was a wealthy clan that cared deeply about their reputation; they would never allow such a scandal to occur and would do whatever it took to minimize the impact. Taking them into the house was the safest way forward.
Ruan Jiaojiao knew that life in the Fu family would not be peaceful, but she had nowhere else to turn. She needed money for school, money to help her mother pay off debts, and above all, she knew that her mother still held onto illusions about Fu Dexin. She didn't want to interfere in her mother's life, but she couldn't bring herself to leave her behind.
***
At the Fu residence, Ruan Jiaojiao and her mother stood before the door to the attic. Fu Dexin had arranged for servants to clear out a room for them. It had not been cleaned; it was thick with dust, and the cramped space was lit only by a tiny window.
"Mom, why don't you wait outside for a bit? I'll clean it up first, and then you can come in."
Although Ruan Jiaojiao knew Fu Dexin wouldn't treat them well, her heart still ached slightly when she saw the small attic. Entering the room, she was hit with a musty smell. She frowned and walked to the window to open it for ventilation. The attic contained only a two-by-two-meter bed and a small vanity; everything else was empty. It had clearly been used for storage before the servants cleared it out.
Ruan Jiaojiao didn't mind. As long as they had a place to stay, didn't have to hide anymore, and had money for her school, that was enough. She began to clean.
Ruan Qianlian walked in. Despite eighteen years of hardship, her youthful vanity remained, and she was dissatisfied with the living conditions. Even in their toughest times, the rooms they rented had been clean and tidy.
"Jiaojiao, how can we live in such a tiny room? I’m going to go talk to him."
Ruan Jiaojiao quickly stopped her, whispering, "Mom, forget it. If you go to him now, it’ll only backfire."
"He’s clearly furious about us forcing his hand earlier. If we keep pushing him, he might lose his temper and kick us out."
"Then we’ll threaten him with death again," Ruan Qianlian said indignantly.
Ruan Jiaojiao took her mother’s hands, her fox-like eyes—complete with a tear mole beneath the corner—meeting her mother's gaze.
"Mom, if we use that trick too often, it’ll lose its effectiveness. He’ll only see us as being unreasonable and might decide to just burn the bridge with us."
Ruan Qianlian frowned. "But this place is just too small."
"Mom, bear with it. We still need to discuss money with him later, so we can't force him right now," Ruan Jiaojiao placated.
Ruan Qianlian looked at her daughter, feeling a twinge of guilt. She patted the back of her hand and said, "It’s my fault. I’ve made you suffer."
"Mom, don't talk like that. Go wait outside; I’ll have the room clean in a moment."
"All right. Put on a mask, there's a lot of dust."
"I know."
Ruan Qianlian gave her a final instruction, covered her nose, left the attic, and went to wait in the hallway.