Volume 1, Chapter 4: Shen Zhiyi, how much longer are you going to make a scene?

Bo Congnan stepped out of the car without a word. He had always assumed that my absence from home was merely a tantrum, and whenever my name came up, his tone was invariably filled with irritation.

Fang Lanru said angrily, "What could possibly be more important than Xiangyi's race? I think Shen Zhiyi is doing this on purpose. She’s jealous that Xiangyi won, so she’s deliberately staying away."

Before I turned thirteen, Fang Lanru had always been good to me. Everything changed after Meng Xiangyi returned to the family. In Fang Lanru’s eyes, I was nothing more than a delicate vase, no different from the vixens outside, whereas the graceful and capable Meng Xiangyi was someone else entirely. She was an outstanding female race car driver, a radiant and accomplished woman. A "little woman" like me could never compare to her.

I looked at Fang Lanru’s furious face. *Mother, I didn’t stay away on purpose; I truly cannot come back.*

As Fang Lanru walked inside, she said, "Congnan, I really feel for you. We’ve spoiled Zhiyi since she was a child, and she’s become willful. She’s just throwing a tantrum and running away over something trivial; don’t pay her any mind. Even without her here, we can still enjoy our family reunion."

Meng Xiangyi descended the stairs. She was dressed mostly in black, her figure slender and athletic—a picture of vibrant health. Bo Congnan’s eyes lit up the moment he saw her.

Meng Xiangyi sat down beside him. "Mom, don’t talk about Zhiyi like that; it’s all my fault. Congnan only left the wedding because of me; it’s only natural that Zhiyi is upset." Her eyes were filled with feigned guilt.

Seeing this, Bo Congnan immediately chimed in, "Sister Xiangyi, this isn't your fault. An important race like the MB is something I had to attend. As for the wedding, it was just a formality."

Fang Lanru echoed him, "It’s all because that Shen Zhiyi lacks proper perspective and is so petty. Her sister winning a championship is such a wonderful thing, yet she chooses to throw a fit. She’s truly short-sighted—just like those small-minded women who only know how to rely on men. A frog at the bottom of a well!"

I sat nearby, listening as they disparaged me to elevate Meng Xiangyi. I suddenly felt a pang of regret for the choices I had made. Long ago, I, too, was a racer who dominated the track. But later...

Bo Congnan liked long hair, so I grew mine out. Bo Congnan liked gentle women, so I suppressed my personality to be as soft as possible. I changed so much for him. I never expected that, in the end, I would meet such a fate.

After dinner, Bo Congnan went to my room to rest. My room was decorated in a fresh green, and he sat on the sofa by the window. Meng Xiangyi’s room was right next door. That used to be my room, but after she returned to the Shen family, I was moved to this smaller space.

A knock sounded at the door. Meng Xiangyi entered carrying a fruit plate. "Congnan, have some fruit."

Seeing Meng Xiangyi, Bo Congnan was reminded of their impulsive kiss the night before, and his heart began to race. "Thank you, Sister Xiangyi."

I watched as Meng Xiangyi subconsciously shielded him, wanting to stop her from entering. But I forgot—I was now nothing more than a soul; I could not stop her.

Meng Xiangyi sat beside him and peeled a grape, holding it to his lips. Bo Congnan paused, then opened his mouth and gently bit into it. Meng Xiangyi seemed to have changed clothes on purpose, wearing a form-fitting black dress that made her look mysterious and elegant. I could see the shift in Bo Congnan’s gaze.

Sure enough, a second later, Bo Congnan flipped her over, pinning her beneath him, and whispered, "Sister, you are so beautiful."

Unlike her usual cold demeanor, Meng Xiangyi wrapped her legs around the man like seaweed. "Congnan, do you want to be with me?"

Those words deeply satisfied his desire for conquest. Watching this scene, I felt as if I were breaking apart. *Get out! Both of you, get out!* I screamed with all my might, but they heard nothing, sinking even deeper into their abandonment.

I had been dead for only a day, and my husband was already doing something so beastly with my sister in my own room. I couldn’t bear it; I was driven mad with rage, yet I was powerless to stop them.

Ever since that first illicit encounter at the Shen home, they had frequently engaged in shameless trysts in my room whenever the rest of the family was away. A week passed. I still hadn't returned home.

Bo Congnan tidied up the traces of their intimacy in my room. Meng Xiangyi put on her clothes, and the two of them went downstairs for dinner as if nothing had happened.

At the table, Meng Xiangyi brought me up. "Hasn't Zhiyi come home yet?"

Bo Congnan didn't even look up, his tone indifferent. "No."

"It’s been a week, and Shen Zhiyi still hasn't returned?" Fang Lanru frowned. I was someone accustomed to being distant, and my tantrums never lasted long.

Fang Lanru was clearly surprised that I hadn't returned in an entire week. Meng Xiangyi peeled a shrimp for Bo Congnan. "You should just apologize to her; there's no need for things to escalate over something so small."

Hearing her words, I was long past being surprised. That was how she was—always playing the magnanimous one, acting as if she didn't care to compete with me, yet in the end, everything that was mine became hers.

Bo Congnan only had eyes for Meng Xiangyi now, and he obeyed her every word. "There have been some issues with the racing team recently. Once I finish up the work at hand, I’ll call her to talk."

Bo Congnan was the manager of the Velocity Phantom racing team. The team was a subsidiary of the Bo family, and to build his experience, the elder Mr. Bo had arranged for him to train there.

A week had passed; my body might have already been disposed of. *Call to talk? How can the dead speak to the living?*

When Fang Lanru heard about the trouble with the team, she immediately grew concerned. "Congnan, you should focus on the team first. Xiangyi just signed with Velocity Phantom, so we can't afford any major issues. As for Shen Zhiyi, don't you worry."

"Your father will be discharged from the hospital in a few days. Zhiyi is the most filial daughter; she will definitely come back to visit him."

I had always believed that thirteen years of companionship, even without blood ties, would be enough to earn me a shred of love from Fang Lanru. But in reality, Meng Xiangyi was the only person who mattered to her. Whenever Meng Xiangyi’s interests were involved, Fang Lanru’s choice was always her. The thirteen years of being together were nothing but a bubble.

Shen Yikang had a weak heart. He had been hospitalized recently and was set to be discharged the day after tomorrow. In the Shen household, Shen Yikang was soft-spoken and constantly overshadowed by Fang Lanru. Even when he was good to me, he only dared to do so in secret.

Fang Lanru knew I was filial, so she was certain I would come to pick up Shen Yikang personally when he was discharged. Bo Congnan felt the same; after all, I had always been most satisfying to him in my obedience.

On the day Shen Yikang was to be discharged, Bo Congnan finished his work at the team and drove to the hospital. At the door of the patient's room, he heard a nurse’s voice from inside.

"Don't worry, Mr. Shen needs a full physical examination before he can be discharged, so please wait a moment."

"Mr. Shen, you are truly blessed to have such a beautiful and filial daughter. Coming all the way here to pick you up so early on such a cold day—it’s truly enviable."

*Heh, finally decided to come back, have you?*

Bo Congnan quickened his pace, strode forward, and pushed open the door. "Shen Zhiyi, how much longer are you going to keep this up?"