Chapter 2 — The Eldest Sister from the Underworld

Simply because the Quy couple gave birth to me, even in death, they retained the power to reach into my very soul and inflict pain upon me at will. The moment she saw the newcomers arrive, Quy Tinh Tinh’s eyes lit up instantly, and she spoke with a grievance she did not truly feel.

Mother Quy looked at me with a gaze that was both freezing and utterly alien, letting out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Back then, weren't you terribly arrogant? The moment you opened your mouth, you talked about severing all ties with us? Now that you see us living comfortably, you come crawling back in utter disgrace?"

"The second you return, you start bullying your little sister, fighting her over everything in sight. You truly are a wretch who refuses to change her ways! Why can't you learn a thing or two from your sister?"

The crowd of fans, emboldened by having powerful backers, immediately began to chirp.

"Mom and Dad are here! Finally, someone is going to put this vicious, wicked older sister in her place!"

"Eight grand tycoons have already adopted them as foster parents, and they are extraordinarily filial. The moment Mom and Dad give the order, those powerful figures will surely tear her apart limb from limb!"

I moved my numb cheek and let out a harsh, rasping chuckle. So what if I fought for things? Ever since she was a little child, Quy Tinh Tinh had double the allowance, endless piles of beautiful dresses, and an entire chest full of snacks. Meanwhile, I had absolutely nothing—of course I had to fight for my share! Later on, I severed all ties and ran away from home, taking eight young boys with me. It was only through that relentless struggle that we managed to claw our way to where we are today. The Quy family should have been celebrating their newfound wealth in secret! How on earth do they have the shameless audacity to point fingers at me?!

Father Quy caught the sharp, icy edge of my gaze, raised his foot, and kicked me viciously behind the knee.

"Is that any tone to use when speaking to your parents?"

Caught entirely off guard, my legs buckled and I collapsed hard onto the ground. The surrounding fans erupted into wild cheers.

"As expected of Mom and Dad! They always know how to handle things! That wicked sister stole Tinh Tinh's necklace, someone help her take it back!"

The couple immediately pinned me down, one on each side, signaling for Quy Tinh Tinh to rip the necklace away. Eager beyond measure, Quy Tinh Tinh could barely contain her excitement, yet she still put on a hypocritical show of hesitation.

"Would doing something like this really be appropriate? I despise fighting over things the most..."

Playing right into her hands, the fans chorused their encouragement, urging her to strike.

"Tinh Tinh, there is no need to be so kind-hearted. She doesn't even view you as a sister, why should you spare a single thought for her?"

"Exactly, go for it Tinh Tinh, be the absolute protagonist of your own life story!"

Only then did Quy Tinh Tinh step forward, towering over me as she looked down from on high. She did it entirely on purpose. Instead of undoing the clasp, she seized the chain and yanked it with brutal force. The metal scraped fiercely across the back of my neck before snapping violently. A searing, burning agony coursed straight through my soul—a pain a thousand times worse than being stabbed to death by a blade, leaving even my breath trembling uncontrollably.

Quy Tinh Tinh hoisted the necklace up, opening her mouth to gloat. But the very next second, the necklace was somehow back resting against my collarbone. Refusing to believe her eyes, she grabbed it and yanked it fiercely several more times. In the end, however, the necklace remained firmly, immovably settled in place. Astonishment rippled through the onlookers.

"What kind of parlor trick are you using?!"

The pain was so blinding that darkness swam before my vision, yet I still forced out a bitter, mocking smile.

"This necklace is stained with the blood of your eight older brothers, bound to their indomitable will. It stands as absolute proof that I am the one they love the most."

Before Quy Tinh Tinh could fly into a rage, Mother and Father Quy repeated the abuse of my childhood, raising their hands to strike me across the face with heavy, ringing slaps as they bellowed in fury.

"How dare you bully your sister!"

Hurts inflicted by direct blood relatives struck straight at the core of my soul. The agonizing sensation of being torn apart robbed me of all ability to speak. In a hazy, drifting blur, I felt the pendant resting against my collarbone grow faintly warm. A tide of intense emotions—anxiety, deep unease, profound concern, and heavy anticipation—flowed straight through the chain and flooded into my heart.

I heard the gasps of shock erupting from the fans.

"All eight grand titans are rushing over here right now! President Pham abandoned a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars without signing it, and Ta Nghieu Quang left the middle of a world boxing championship and bolted..."

"They must have heard that Tinh Tinh was wronged and are rushing here to vent their anger on her behalf. They spoil her so terribly!"

Through the violent waves of pain, a quiet laugh escaped my lips. It seemed that from just half a sentence spoken over the phone, Pham Tri Vu had recognized me. It seemed this necklace was not entirely useless after all. At the very least, right now, those eight boys and I could still sense one another. I glanced down at my watch. Forty minutes left. Hopefully, before I am dragged back down to the netherworld, I will live to see the complete ruin of the Quy family with my own eyes.

4

Quy Tinh Tinh’s phone began to ring incessantly. A triumphant smile bloomed across her face, but instead of answering, she put on a troubled, suffering expression.

"My older brothers truly worry over me far too much. Over such a trivial little matter, they are dropping everything to rush back."

"Still, I am all grown up now. I can handle things on my own."

"Older sister, once I am done dealing with you, I will go act spoiled in front of them later~"

The surrounding fans chorused at the top of their lungs:

"You can do it, Tinh Tinh!"

Amidst the cheers that surged like crashing ocean waves, Quy Tinh Tinh produced a small knife, intending to saw through the necklace. Yet she suddenly froze, fixed a cunning, sly grin upon me, and lowered her voice to ask:

"Dear sister, do you still remember how you got that scar on your face?"

At the very corner of my eye lay a faint, lingering scar.