Chapter 1 — The Day I Left Home

At the entrance of the high-speed railway station, the ticket gate barred my way. My ID card was scanned, but no ticket information could be found. My mother turned her head to look at me, her expression entirely devoid of warmth.

That person over there, when I was booking the tickets, I suddenly blanked on your name, so I forgot to buy one for you.

Just buy a ticket for yourself.

I forced a tight, brittle smile and nodded. Ever since Jiang Yue Lin was found and brought home six years ago, I—the adopted daughter who had been mistakenly taken home from the hospital—had become an utter phantom in this household, unworthy even of having my own name spoken aloud. Jiang Yue Lin had declared that my name rightfully belonged to her. After that, whenever anyone uttered my name, she would slip into a frenzied madness, weeping hysterically and threatening suicide. From then on, I was reduced to being addressed simply as that person. I opened the ticketing app, only to discover that every single ticket to Haicheng for the next three days was completely sold out. When I raised my head, my parents and Jiang Yue Lin had already vanished into the churning sea of travelers. I sent a message to our family chat group.

Mom, Dad, I couldn't buy a high-speed rail ticket. How am I supposed to travel and meet up with you all?

No one replied. An hour later, Jiang Yue Lin posted a selfie in the group chat. My mother immediately responded: What a gorgeous celebrity! My father sent a bouquet sticker. My childhood sweetheart, Chu Chen Yi, transferred thirty thousand yuan with the accompanying note: Lin Lin's travel fund. Not a single person answered my message, nor did anyone care whether I managed to catch up with them. I exited the ticketing app and opened my email inbox. Inside waited two job offers: one from the local Lin Corporation, and another from a research institute located two thousand kilometers away. Without a single moment of hesitation, I chose the latter. From this day forward, I would set out to reclaim the name that was rightfully mine.

The windows and doors of the house were tightly shut, the air inside so sweltering and humid it felt almost viscous. I dragged my suitcase up to the attic and picked up a bottle of mineral water from the table, swallowing several large gulps in quick succession. The old, wheezing electric fan rattled as it swept back and forth, offering a meager breath of cool air. This cramped attic, measuring less than five square meters, was freezing in the winter and roasting in the summer. Its ceiling was barely a meter and a half high, forcing me to walk about in a perpetual stoop. Yet, this was the only space in the entire house that truly belonged to me. On the day Jiang Yue Lin was welcomed back, the moment she laid eyes on my bedroom, she had completely broken down in tears.

At the orphanage, I could only crowd onto a bunk bed, yet the room that should have rightfully been mine was stolen and occupied by someone else.

My parents coaxed and comforted her for the entire afternoon before ordering me to surrender my room to her and move into the attic for a few days. They told me that once Jiang Yue Lin grew accustomed to my presence, I could move back down and share the room with her. I used to believe that as long as I was obedient enough and waited patiently, sooner or later I would find a way to blend back into this family. But what I ultimately waited for was the loss of even my own name. Early the next morning, I gathered my personal documents and the household registration booklet stolen from my parents' bedroom, and headed to the municipal office to process the transfer of my registry to the city where the research institute was headquartered. Since I had decided to leave, I had to make a clean break of it. The paperwork would take a full week to finalize, which happened to coincide with the exact day they returned from their trip. I deliberately woke up early and went to the wet market to select the freshest ingredients available. I intended to bid them a proper farewell at the dining table. Once I left this time, we would likely never cross paths again.

The sound of a key turning in the lock echoed from the front door just as I was carrying the final dish out from the kitchen. Jiang Yue Lin glanced at the food spread across the table, clamped a hand over her mouth, and bolted straight toward the bathroom, where the sound of violent retching immediately followed. My mother shot a disapproving glare in my direction.

Lin Lin gets carsick easily and can't stomach greasy food like this. Go into the kitchen right now and cook her a fresh pot of plain rice porridge.

Yes, go ahead and eat without me.

Your father and I won't eat either. Lin Lin can't stand heavy smells right now. If you want to eat, take your bowl and eat in the kitchen.

I stared down at the angry, blistering burns scattered across my fingertips, but I remained silent. Half an hour later, I carried the freshly boiled porridge into Jiang Yue Lin's bedroom. As I stepped back out into the hallway, my mother handed me a small paper gift bag.

A little present I bought for you in Haicheng.

Inside was a glass snow globe with a tiny mermaid figurine resting at the bottom. A sharp, stinging sensation bloomed behind my eyes. This was the first time in six years my mother had remembered me. As I passed by Jiang Yue Lin's open door, I overheard her chatting on the phone with a friend.

Did you see the photo I sent? That glass snow globe was a free promotional giveaway just for scanning a QR code at the scenic spot, yet she was so moved she looked like she was about to cry.

She really has the thickest skin imaginable. She knows perfectly well she isn't their biological daughter, yet she still clings stubbornly to that house and refuses to leave.

I lowered my head and retreated into the kitchen. Every single dish I had prepared had already been dumped into the garbage bin. My father was pouring himself a glass of water and cast a cold glance at my way.

That person, I assumed you weren't going to eat, so I threw it out.

I gave a low, subdued assent. I should never have harbored illusions about familial affection untethered by blood ties; my own foolish greed was to blame. In truth, right after Jiang Yue Lin returned, I had offered to pack my things and leave. Back then, my mother had wept and pleaded with me to stay for an entire afternoon.

Regardless of whether you share our blood, your father and I raised you for sixteen years. You are, and always will be, our daughter.

My father had stood out on the porch, smoking half a pack of cigarettes in silence.

I've already asked around. Your biological parents passed away a long time ago. Even if you leave, you have nowhere in the world to go.

Lin Lin is simply having trouble accepting you for the time being. Give it time, live together a little longer, and you two will undoubtedly become devoted sisters.

And so, I stayed. Yet every single time my parents showed me the slightest kindness, Jiang Yue Lin would fly into a frenzy and threaten to take her own life. At first, my parents only pretended to be indifferent toward me, but after acting the part for so long, the indifference hardened into a chilling reality. I sat alone in the dim attic, forcing myself to drink water to dull the sharp pangs of hunger clawing at my stomach. Staring at the acceptance letter from the research institute sitting in my email inbox, my turbulent heart gradually grew still. Their family trip this time was meant to celebrate both Jiang Yue Lin and me graduating from university. Fretful that Jiang Yue Lin might suffer from job-hunting anxiety, my parents had deliberately taken her away to unwind and relax. Not a single person had inquired about my job search, nor did anyone care.

That afternoon, Chu Chen Yi arrived at our house carrying two distinct gifts. One was an iconic monogram-patterned messenger bag from Louis Vuitton, purchased directly from the flagship boutique, complete with a twenty-three-thousand-yuan receipt tucked inside. He handed it to Jiang Yue Lin with his own hands.

Now that you're entering the workforce, you're a young woman grown; you can't keep dressing like a schoolgirl anymore. Is this the bag you posted on your moments saying you wanted? See if it suits you.

Jiang Yue Lin slipped the strap over her shoulder, spinning around and around before the full-length mirror. After that, he picked up the remaining gift and followed me up to the attic.

Open it up and take a look.

I held no expectations whatsoever. Whenever he gave gifts, Jiang Yue Lin's portion was invariably the most expensive, while mine was always the cheapest. I peeled back the wrapping paper. It was a discounted Coach handbag, its price tag featuring one fewer zero than Jiang Yue Lin's luxury piece. Still, it exceeded my meager expectations.

You'll need a proper bag when you go out to work.

The corners of my mouth twitched upward in a bitter smile, but he suddenly cut in.

Didn't you mention before that you received a job offer from the Lin Corporation? Go ahead and turn down that position, and look for something else instead.

Why should I?

I had a friend look into it. Lin Lin and you applied for the exact same position. If you step down, she can take your place.

His tone was utterly nonchalant, as if he were discussing tomorrow's weather forecast.

You monopolized Lin Lin's parents for sixteen years. This is the least you owe her.

So this handbag was never a gift at all. It was merely the wages paid to buy my compliance in stepping aside for Jiang Yue Lin. I raised my eyes to look straight at him.

How long has it been since you last called me by my name?

Chu Chen Yi furrowed his brow, fixing me with the gaze of an adult tolerating an unreasonable child throwing a tantrum.

Don't try to change the subject with this nonsense. The deadline is tomorrow; you must decline that job offer today.

When Jiang Yue Lin first came back, you comforted me by saying that even if my parents didn't want me anymore, you would still be there for me. But today marks six full years since you last uttered my name.

Everything I spoke was the unvarnished truth. Yet Chu Chen Yi's expression only grew darker and more oppressive.

If Lin Lin hadn't been mistakenly taken away back then, the person growing up by my side all these years would have been her. Stop playing the victim when you've already reaped all the benefits.

Remember to reject the offer from the Lin Corporation.

Having dropped those final words, Chu Chen Yi turned sharply and strode out of the attic. Not long after he descended the stairs, Jiang Yue Lin's deliberately elevated voice rang up through the floorboards.

Chen Yi, look at how sweaty you are! Come into my room and cool off under the air conditioner. Don't go up to that stuffy attic anymore; you might get heatstroke.

Chu Chen Yi gave a soft chuckle.

I remember you love drinking grapefruit sago, right? I ordered some before I came over, so it should be delivered right to the door by now.

Two seconds later came the sound of the front door opening, followed immediately by the sharp snap of a plastic straw piercing through a bubble tea lid. Two calls for delivery, two cups of tea, and not a single drop for me. My phone buzzed with a notification indicating I had been added to a new chat group. The group administrator tagged my name in a message.

Classmate Jiang Qi Yuan, you only need to bring your personal clothing; all other daily necessities have already been prepared for you on our end.

See you in three days. A warm welcome to Jiang Qi Yuan as you join our team.

The other members chimed in with a rapid succession of welcoming stickers. My vision gradually blurred, warm tears spilling over the edge and splashing against the screen of my phone. In this house, I was merely designated as that person. Yet in a place two thousand kilometers away, they were offering a genuine welcome to Jiang Qi Yuan.

The following day, my aunt came over to discuss our college entrance application strategies. She sat comfortably on the sofa cracking melon seeds, while her son, Chen Wen Xuan, slumped beside her, his head buried in his smartphone. Jiang Yue Lin held a tablet, browsing through university profiles to help Chen Wen Xuan choose a school.

With Wen Xuan's test scores, getting into City University should be a walk in the park. City University's medical program is exceptionally strong. Wen Xuan, you want to study medicine, right?

Chen Wen Xuan didn't even bother to lift his head, merely offering a perfunctory assent. The radiant smile on Jiang Yue Lin's face stiffened slightly.

Lin Lin is truly brilliant. I knew coming to consult you wouldn't lead me astray.

My aunt immediately chimed in, tilting her head to look at me as I sat quietly on the edge of the sofa.

That... child...

She paused, searching her memory, but utterly failed to dredge up my name.

Never mind, how are things going with your job hunt?

I had long since grown accustomed to it.

Auntie, I...

Her name is Jiang Qi Yuan.

Chen Wen Xuan tossed his phone down onto the coffee table and raised his head. I don't understand what is so unspeakable about a mere name. Jiang Yue Lin, do you really have to be so dramatic about it?

The moment those words left his mouth, the living room plunged into a dead, suffocating silence. Jiang Qi Yuan abruptly sprang to her feet, flying into a blind rage as she rushed into the kitchen and snatched up a fruit knife, pressing the cold blade directly against her own throat.

You all want me dead, don't you? You want me to die so she can permanently assume my identity and usurp my parents, right?

Her voice was raw and hoarse from screaming.

Why was I the one mistakenly taken away back then? Why did I have to endure so much suffering?

I spent my whole life believing I was an unwanted child, only for everyone to turn around and tell me that someone else was living out the life that belonged to me, while I suffered in her stead!

By what right should I bear the consequences of everyone else's mistakes!

My mother turned ashen, her face draining of all color, while my father threw his hands out, begging her to calm down. Hearing the commotion, Chu Chen Yi rushed over in a panic.

Lin Lin, you are uncle and aunt's only daughter. And you have me—haven't I always stayed by your side?

He took a slow, measured step forward toward Jiang Yue Lin.

Be a good girl. Listen to me, hand the knife over to me.

Just as Chu Chen Yi's hand closed around the handle, inches away from wrenching it free, Jiang Yue Lin suddenly swung the blade outward, lunging directly toward me. The sharp tip slashed heavily across my forearm, instantly opening a deep, bleeding gash.

Lin Lin! Are you hurt!