Chapter 23: An Xin's Menacing Face

"Yanyan, when did you come back?" An Jie was utterly surprised to see An Yan—it was the An family standing before her.

An Yan noticed An Xin trailing behind the couple. Today, she looked much more fashionable than the last time they met. Her clothes were of a similar style to An Yan's, but the brown coat made her skin look even darker. Yet, compared to An Yan, her outfit did nothing to flatter her; on the contrary, it appeared somewhat out of place.

An Yan withdrew her gaze, feeling no particular emotion, only curiosity—what brought the three of them here?

When An Xin caught sight of An Yan, her expression shifted. She had believed that after An Yan married into the far northwest, their paths would never cross again. Even if they did, she imagined she would see only a haggard, worn-out An Yan, battered by hardship.

But the reality was nothing like she had envisioned. An Yan looked nothing like the pitiful figure in her mind; instead, she radiated happiness. Even more infuriating, her skin remained as fair and delicate as ever.

Why?

Why was it that, after returning to the An family and using all kinds of cosmetics, her own complexion had only worsened, plagued by skin problems, while An Yan showed no such signs?

She blamed it all on An Yan—she had stolen the beauty that should have been hers.

Her gaze shifted again, burning with even deeper resentment. It was that man—Lin You! That cold, heartless man!

"Sister, why have you come back? Are you here to attend my engagement party with Brother Huo?" An Yan suddenly thought of a plan.

Sure enough, these words immediately put Zhao Qiufang on guard. In the past, An Yan had insisted she would marry no one but Huo Ting. At a recent family dinner, Huo Ting had often mentioned An Yan as well. Now that she had returned, could it be for the engagement? If so, what would happen then?

Her expression, which had been happy upon seeing An Yan, now turned sour. "Yanyan, what are you doing back here? You’re already married—can’t you just live your life in the northwest? Huo Ting is no longer connected to you; he will be Xin Xin’s husband from now on."

"I raised you for nineteen years, and this is how you repay me?"

An Yan looked up, a bit puzzled. She had indeed planned to visit the An family this time, to see An Jie and Zhao Qiufang—after all, she could not forget the kindness of being raised for so many years.

But Zhao Qiufang’s sudden hostility left her at a loss.

"Mom, I don’t understand what you’re saying. I only came back to see my biological parents. Lin You and I are about to get married. Although it’s a military marriage, I still need to inform my family. I had planned to visit you tomorrow and share the good news, but I didn’t expect to run into you here."

An Yan showed no anger at Zhao Qiufang’s words, but her sharp, intelligent eyes swept over An Xin. Zhao Qiufang’s anger surely wasn’t sparked by a single remark. No doubt, her dear little sister had whispered many things in An Jie and Zhao Qiufang’s ears.

An Xin, catching that look, felt guilty and lowered her head.

Xia Guoliang, seeing how Zhao Qiufang spoke, grew angry. “Ms. Zhao, I may not have had much schooling—I’m just a country man who knows how to farm—but even I wouldn’t speak of my own daughter like that. Yanyan was with you for nineteen years; you know better than anyone what kind of person she is.”

Zhao Qiufang sneered, “Precisely because I know her so well, I said what I did.”

"You—"

"Father, don’t be angry. She’s not wrong. It’s because she knows me too well that she speaks like that. I was indeed ignorant for those nineteen years—you mustn’t blame her," An Yan interrupted Xia Guoliang.

Zhao Qiufang looked astonished. She hadn’t expected her previously unreasonable daughter to defend her.

She thought back—after An Yan was rescued last time, she seemed to have changed, almost like a different person.

An Xin noticed it too. The An Yan in her memory was arrogant, rude, all looks and no brains. She shouldn’t be this calm and poised.

"So now I should call you An Xin, shouldn’t I? Let me be clear—I have no interest in your engagement party with Huo Ting. It’s good you came today; it saves me a trip to the An family."

An Yan walked around An Jie and Zhao Qiufang, stopping in front of An Xin. She reached out and touched the brooch on An Xin’s coat—she remembered clearly that this had been a birthday gift from An Jie when she turned eighteen.

"Sister, you make it sound as though I’m the one keeping you from visiting the An family."

"I never said that. Please, sister, don’t misjudge me."

With a single sentence, An Yan cast herself as the one in the weaker position.

"I…"

An Xin hadn’t expected that in her first direct confrontation with An Yan since her rebirth, she would come out on the losing end!

At that moment, Lin Adi walked back in from outside and greeted Xia Cuicui, “Cuicui, you’re back!”

An Xin, still seething, couldn’t hold back and snapped, “My name is An Xin, not Cuicui! Don’t call me Xia Cuicui again—it disgusts me.”

No one present had expected this scene.

Even An Jie looked incredulous. Since returning to the An family, An Xin had always appeared well-mannered and sensible. But now her expression was twisted with rage.

After the outburst, An Xin realized everyone was staring at her. At a loss for words, she finally said to An Jie, “Dad, let’s get the household register and go.”

“Oh, all right,” An Jie replied, recalling the real reason for their visit. “Old Xia, we’re here today to transfer Xin Xin’s household registration back.”

The Xia family, coming to their senses, all wore ugly expressions. “Wife, go fetch the household register for Mr. An so he can take An Xin away from our home. No need to make her feel disgusted.”

Xia Guoliang deliberately emphasized An Xin’s name as he spoke.

Poverty had not broken his spirit. For nineteen years, he had raised her with all his heart—sending her to school despite what others said, scrimping and saving so she could attend high school—yet in the end, he had raised an ingrate.

Lin Adi, clearly hurt by An Xin’s words, couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. Was this truly the daughter she had raised for nineteen years? How had she changed so much in less than half a month?

She went inside, rummaged through a trunk, and handed the household register to Xia Guoliang. “Mr. An, please send it back when you’re done; no need to come all the way yourself. We wouldn’t want your city shoes and clothes soiled.”

Xia Jun, who had remained silent until now, was not so forgiving. He shouted, “Take your things and get out of our house! You’re not welcome here anymore—especially you, An Xin! As far as I’m concerned, I have no sister by that name. Go back and enjoy your good life elsewhere!”