Pain.

Lu Ranran only felt an intense burst of pain sweeping over her.

Her internal organs felt as if they were on fire, the concealed pain nestled under her flesh spread all across her body through her veins.

"So...painful!"

With effort, Lu Ranran struggled, but was suddenly harshly suppressed onto the ground.

With all her might, she forced her eyes open and saw the face of her half-sister.

The face that was once considered pretty was now filled with grim and insidious expressions.

"Lu Ranran, you're awake?" Lu Yunyun leaned in to ask her, "How is the water? Refreshing?"

Only then did Lu Ranran understand. The water she had drunk had been drugged by Lu Yunyun.

"You--"

"Angry? Lu Ranran, it's all your fault for being so useless!"

Lu Yunyun tore off her usual gentle and refined mask, pressing a knife against Lu Ranran, mocking her with a cold laughter.

"With such a poor mind and unable to judge character, if you don't die, who will?"

Lu Ranran clenched her throat, in such intense pain throughout her body that she could barely speak.

Lu Yunyun pressed her foot down on Lu Ranran's body, hunching down threateningly, "You are the one who brought shame to our family! Why should grandfather leave a part of the inheritance for you?"

She viciously drew the knife across Lu Ranyan's face, marring her strikingly gorgeous features.

"You, a woman tarnished and shamed by others, what gives you the right to marry Nan Sijun?!"

If it was not for Lu Ranyan, it should have been her marrying Nan Sijun!

But now, it was not too late.

As long as Lu Ranyan was dead, she could not believe that Nan Sijun would wait a lifetime for a dead person!

Regardless of whether it was to become the sole heir of the Lu family or to claim Nan Sijun, Lu Ranyan must die!

"Do you hate me? You would do better to hate yourself! Lu Ranyan, you should never have existed in this world!"

As soon as her words fell, Lu Yunyun plunged the dagger fiercely into Lu Ranyan's heart.

Blood sprayed out, and Lu Ranyan glared at Lu Yunyun.

She couldn't speak, but her hatred burst through her eyes, causing Lu Yunyun to startle for a moment.

Lu Ranyan was dead, her eyes still wide open without the peace of death.

Those eyes had been staring at Lu Yunyun all along, never closing.

Her unwillingness and regret were evident, cursing herself for her inability to see people clearly, questioning why it was not until the very end that she realized how deeply Lu Yunyun hated her!

If she hadn't come to this point, if she...

"Ah!"

Lu Ranran jolted awake from her slumber, struggling to draw in deep breaths as sweat accumulated on her forehead.

Was she... still alive?

Had everything just been a nightmare?

As she gasped for breath, she surveyed her surroundings.

The furnishings in this room were vaguely familiar.

It appeared to be... a hotel room.

A hotel room?

Suddenly, Lu Ranran remembered that Liu Yue'er had invited her to a bar for drinks, where she accidentally got drunk and ended up in bed with Liu Yue’er's cousin, utterly naked...

That incident had destroyed her innocence and reputation, causing her to lose stature in the Lu family and disappoint her father, forcing her to marry Liu Yue’er's cousin.

From the bathroom, the sound of running water and a man's cheerful humming reached her.

Lu Ranran suddenly put two and two together.

Perhaps, the "dream" she just had was not really a dream.

She had... been reborn.

The sound of water abruptly stopped, and Lu Ranran became tense, her eyes flicking towards the bathroom door...

The man inside the bathroom emerged, noticing that the room lights had been switched off.

"Heh, feeling a bit shy, are we?"

The man chuckled disgustingly under the dim light before he began his approach towards the bed.

"Don't be afraid, don't worry Ranyan, your big brother will treat you well~"

With that, the man pulled the woman from under the covers. Despite her weak resistance, he grossly violated her...

Having closed the door, Lu Ranyan's heart was wildly pounding as if it just came back to life.

She was trying her hardest to calm herself down by taking deep breaths.

After realizing that she had been reincarnated, there was no way she would just stand there and let fate, as manipulated by others, control her.

But if she wasn't in bed, with no doubt Liu Yue'er's cousin would realize that straight away!

She had been drugged by Liu Yue'er, and she couldn't get far, so she had no choice but to call for a "special service" while the man was still absent.

The lights in the room were off, there was someone in the bed, she believed that the horny man wouldn't have a clue.

Also, there was a little surprise she organized from that "special service" specifically for Liu Yue'er's cousin...

"Who are you!"

A deep male voice suddenly resounded in the room.

As Lu Ranyan turned around to explain, her hands were seized, and she couldn't break free.

She was pushed against the thick hotel door, unable to see the man behind her, but his voice rang all too familiar.

The man approached, his faint scent of cologne enveloping Lu Ranyan.

"Speak, who are you, how did you get in?"

His voice was incredibly pleasant, deep and melodious, akin to the strings of a cello being played, causing Lu Ranyan to feel a flush of heat across her body.

Damn it!

Only then did Lu Ranyan remember, the drug that Liu Yue'er had slipped her, it was that kind…

The drug had already started to take effect, which was why she was reacting so peculiarly. Just upon hearing this man's voice, smelling his scent, she started to lose control.

"I…"

Lu Ranyan wanted to explain, but before she could speak, her back unconsciously leaned against the man's chest.

Broad, sturdy chest.

Lu Ranyan felt her body soaked in sweat, consciousness increasingly blurred.

"What are you doing?"

The man distastefully pulled her off, casually casting her aside.

Lacking the strength to resist, Lu Ranyan collapsed onto the sofa, her body limp and weak, except for her face, which was burning hot.

The man stood with his back to the light, and she couldn't distinguish his features, yet her eyes were unconsciously locked onto the half-opened neckline of his shirt.

The tie was loosened, several buttons at the neckline unfastened, revealing bronzed skin, firm, smooth…

It seems to feel good to the touch.

"Why don't you speak?"

The man loomed over her, his tall form slightly bent. As he finally saw her face clearly, his eyes slightly changed.

However, Lu Ranyan abruptly grabbed the man's tie, pulling him down onto the plush carpet, and pinned him down.

The man's skin wasn't as delicate as a woman's, yet it was smooth and firm, especially...

"Have you gone mad?!"

Upon hearing the man's deep magnetic voice, Lu Ranyan, who then had her hands arrested by the man, felt further encouraged to proceed with audacity.

Having her hand held captive, she simply leaned down and kissed the man's thin lips.

Soft and slightly cool.

Compared to his cold-hard tone, his lips were unbelievably soft.

In her past life, Lu Ranyan had never learned how to kiss, even until her death.

She kissed so naively, utterly without any particular technique.

Yet, it seemed to ignite the man's fire instantly.

After an indeterminable period of kissing, Lu Ranyan felt herself being lifted by the man, heading into the bedroom.

She gripped his shoulder, feeling the warmth beneath her hand. It was then when she realized his shirt had disappeared at some point.

Her own attire wasn't much better.

Under the room's light, Lu Ranran suddenly noticed the man's face.

It was an extremely handsome face, and - too familiar to her.

How could it possibly be him?!