Chapter 14: Damn You...

Lin Zhiwei tossed and turned all night, unable to understand why, when Lin Qiongjiu mentioned the Ling family, her tone had been so peculiar, as if to imply that Zhiwei was particularly good at choosing. Was that praise or criticism? She mulled it over endlessly but couldn’t make sense of it. Still, since she’d have to persuade Shen Qian tomorrow, she had to sleep now—there’d be plenty of time to learn more about the Ling family later.

When she woke in the morning, she glanced at the weather—it was bright and clear. At least the day had a good beginning. Zhiwei went about her usual routine, washing her face and brushing her teeth, habitually avoiding her own reflection in the mirror. After all, it was the same face every one of the 365 days in the year—better not to look and remain carefree.

Her head felt faintly swollen, and she couldn’t shake the sense that something was off about today. That feeling lingered until she wandered downstairs and saw her mother spill the soup she’d just brought from the kitchen, while her father tried to shove a piece of bread up his nostril.

She paused, thinking her sixth sense was spot on—this was indeed a strange day. Maybe staying up so late last night had left her disoriented today. Still, she was used to oddities and didn’t question it.

“Zhiwei… Weiwei…” Her mother called her name tentatively.

Zhiwei took a deep breath, forced a smile, and replied, “Mom… I’ve got something to do this morning.”

Of course, she suspected that her smile was painfully forced, its aftereffects hard to contain.

Her mother remained rooted to the spot, obviously too shocked to manage coherent speech.

Just as Zhiwei was about to ask what was wrong, the doorbell rang insistently. She decided she’d deal with the door first—her parents were already well beyond weird today.

She spared a glance at her dazed parents, half-convinced they were under some kind of spell. But when she stood up, their heads and gazes followed her every move, confirming they weren’t frozen in place—just mentally out of sorts.

She shook her head, annoyed, and opened the door—only to be confronted by a man clad in a flamboyant blue suit, his hair slicked back with exaggerated flair, glaring at her as if about to unleash a tirade.

Yet, in a matter of seconds, his expression shifted. He coughed obsequiously, straightened his posture, and addressed her with exaggerated politeness, “Excuse me, beautiful and noble lady, sorry to trouble you. Is Lin Zhiwei at home?”

Liang Qisheng hadn’t slept a wink either, planning to come early to give Lin Zhiwei a piece of his mind. Everyone knew Lin Zhiwei was close to the Lord, but she was known for her unattractive looks and poor reputation—rumor had it the Arbitration Committee would discipline her in a couple of days. A few harsh words seemed justified.

Women like her, getting close to Ziheng, obviously had ulterior motives. He was determined to defend their stronghold from enemy sabotage.

He’d hurried the driver over at dawn, ready to unleash a barrage of criticism the moment Zhiwei opened the door.

What he hadn’t expected was that the person who answered was not Lin Zhiwei, but a veritable fairy—a girl in a simple tracksuit, her long, fine hair cascading around her face, her skin delicate as porcelain, cheeks tinged with a blossom’s color, and especially those large, sparkling eyes: enchanting, smiling, like a spring stream warming his heart.

Liang Qisheng felt as if he’d been struck with a thunderbolt. This was no ordinary woman; she was a goddess, ethereal and elegant.

He’d seen countless beauties, but this felt like an out-of-world experience. All his anger vanished, replaced by every ounce of gentlemanly decorum and charm he could muster.

Such a fairy was truly one in a million…

Zhiwei blinked, puzzled by the visitor’s strange performance, wondering if he was all there in the head. She hesitated, then asked awkwardly, “That’s me. And you are?”

As soon as the fairy spoke, her voice clear and gentle, Liang Qisheng’s heart nearly burst with joy. The goddess was speaking to him! Wait—what did she say?

What? She was Lin Zhiwei?

He froze, stammering, “Miss… you’ve got to be joking. Lin Zhiwei—everyone knows who she is…”

Now it was Zhiwei’s turn to be stunned. A sense of foreboding gripped her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again…

Right—this wasn’t a dream.

She paid no more attention to Liang Qisheng, dashed back inside, barely remembering to ignore her parents, and rushed to her bedroom mirror.

“Damn you, Lin Qiongjiu!”

Moments later, her father, mother, and the still-lingering Liang Qisheng were stunned by a thunderous curse.

All three stood there, shell-shocked, unsure how to react.

Liang Qisheng, for his part, felt only admiration—such a beauty, daring not only to call the Lord by name but to curse him too! She was no ordinary mortal.

Zhiwei sat on her bed, inhaling and exhaling deeply to calm herself.

So yesterday, when Lin Qiongjiu said he’d prepared food for her, claiming it was from her sister-in-law, there had indeed been something amiss with it.

Then he’d said today would bring challenges, but also a gift…

It was all too clear now: regaining her appearance was the gift, and also the test.

For six long years, she’d dreamed of the day she would have her face restored. But now, with her plans to go to Huaguo, this new face would make everything more complicated…

Lin Qiongjiu, you’re ruthless…

After cursing Lin Qiongjiu ten thousand times in her heart, Zhiwei forced herself to carefully consider her next steps. Perhaps, as he said, beauty was both a gift and a bomb—it all depended on whether the person wielding it had wisdom.

She stood up, looked into the mirror again. The girl reflected there gazed back, her movements a little slow—her skin had regained its delicate, fair glow, her features sharp and expressive, her beauty pure yet tinged with gentle charm…

No matter how stunning, every angle felt unfamiliar. After so many years inhabiting another face, she’d grown used to it, even if she’d never truly accepted it.

Such a sudden transformation, without warning, left her shaken and her mind utterly blank.

She almost wanted to ask herself: Who on earth are you?