The Zuo Siblings

Ming Jiu and Zuo Junhao had exchanged contact information at the funeral for Ming Mom and Zuo Dad. This was their first call since saving each other's numbers.

Ming Jiu's fingers involuntarily tightened around her phone. Her mind was filled with the words she had heard before dying: "Xiao Jiu, I'm sorry. Don't blame me."

If he was going to silence her, then silence her. Who did he think he was disgusting by saying that?

"...Cousin, what is it?"

"There is something. I'd planned to tell you when you came to the house, but since you're busy, I'll just tell you over the phone."

"I've already made an appointment with the doctor. Appointments at the counseling center can't be squeezed in, but the doctor is willing to spare some private time to see Xiao Rong. I'll text you his contact information. Just give him my name and arrange a time."

"By the way, how is Xiao Rong?"

Ming Jiu made her voice sound as grateful as possible. "Really? Thank you, Cousin. Xiao Rong is doing quite well. Please let Uncle and Aunt know too, so they won't worry. Once Xiao Rong is doing a little better, I'll bring her over to visit."

"Alright. Call me directly if anything comes up."

The call ended. It was time for them to cross the next intersection.

Ming Rong keenly sensed that something was wrong with her sister. Holding Ming Jiu's hand, she gave it a gentle shake.

"I'm fine. Let's go."

If there had been no conflict of interest, Zuo Junhao would undoubtedly have been a qualified older brother. Whether it was attending the funeral for Ming Mom and Zuo Dad or worrying about finding Ming Rong a psychologist...

But Ming Jiu had no intention of letting him off.

In her previous life, she had done nothing. She knew nothing about Zuo Junhao's cheat ability. Even after moving from City G to settle in City B, she had never considered relying on the Zuo Family, even though the Zuo Family's base in City B had been flourishing at the time.

She had only wanted to earn gold coins through the system, exchange them for potions to improve her strength, and survive properly in the apocalypse.

She had done nothing to wrong Zuo Junhao, yet Zuo Junhao had still killed her.

Now she understood—if their positions had been reversed, she too would have hesitated over whether to act.

A space that could continuously and reliably produce food and clean water resources in the apocalypse—no one could resist being tempted, and no one could help being wary.

Still, Zuo Junhao's decisiveness was something worth learning from.

By the time they reached the trust company's building, Ming Jiu had steadied her emotions. After entering the lobby, she temporarily separated from the person in charge.

The person in charge needed to go upstairs to hand over some work. Ming Jiu went to the underground parking garage to get the keys. Before she could step into the elevator, someone called out to her from not far behind.

"Ming Jiu?"

Ming Jiu turned around—a tall young woman stood there. Ming Jiu had never specifically studied luxury brands, but she could still tell that the woman's outfit was anything but ordinary.

Looking more closely at that exquisitely made-up face, she found it more and more familiar.

"So it really is you."

As she spoke, the young woman strode over in heeled boots and stopped before the two sisters, lifting her chin as she looked them up and down.

Ming Jiu felt Ming Rong tighten her grip on her hand. She gave Ming Rong's palm a reassuring squeeze and calmly looked at the woman who might as well have had "here to pick a fight" carved across her face.

"Zuo Junxin."

Zuo Junhao's biological sister. Her cousin. What rotten luck.

"It's been so long since we last met, and you can't even call me Sister? Is that how Uncle and Aunt taught you? Is she that sister of yours?"

Ming Rong frowned as she was stared at.

"I'm your cousin," Zuo Junxin said, curling her lips. "After taking so much money from my family, you still can't bring yourself to call me Sister?"

"Oh, I forgot. Your sister is mute—"

Before she could say the final word, Ming Jiu's foot landed on Zuo Junxin's heeled leather boot and stomped down hard.

With a shriek of pain, Zuo Junxin crouched down. The lobby, which had still contained a few scattered voices moments ago, instantly fell silent.

Ming Jiu smiled at the two security guards hurrying toward them.

"We're fine, don't worry. She's my cousin. I accidentally stepped on her just now."

Then Ming Jiu lowered her head, her gaze filled with concern. "Cousin, are you alright?"

If she were not afraid Zuo Junxin would call the police after getting slapped, Ming Jiu truly wanted to stamp her palm print across that arrogant face.

"I was only joking. Didn't you used to make jokes like that with me too? I only stepped on you lightly. Isn't this a bit much?"

Come to think of it, Zuo Junxin had been the trigger that made their family leave City B.

Zuo Junxin was only a year older than Ming Jiu. When Ming Jiu was in her first year of middle school, Zuo Junxin had only just entered her second year. They did not even attend the same school, yet Zuo Junxin had somehow found the connections to bully her across schools.

At first, Ming Jiu had held back her anger and thought up plenty of nasty ways to retaliate, but she could not stand against the other side's overwhelming numbers.

They knew where to draw the line and had not caused her any substantial physical harm—they isolated her, blocked her path to scare her, deliberately damaged her books, and so on.

At the time, she had thought that even if she told her parents, it would only lead to her parents arguing with the school. In the end, either she or the ringleader of the bullies would transfer schools.

That was not the outcome she wanted.

The last time she was cornered in the girls' restroom, Ming Jiu went crazy. She grabbed one of them by the hair and yanked hard in provocation, brawling with the whole group. Once she had made sure her face was battered and bruised, she decisively ran to the edge of the school rooftop, crouched there, and burst into tears.

The method was highly effective—within less than twenty minutes, teachers, school administrators, police officers, firefighters, and reporters had all arrived. A gentle policewoman had to coax and persuade Ming Jiu for quite some time before getting her, pretending to jump, down from the rooftop.

The bewildered school administrators, the homeroom teacher who had turned a blind eye, and every bully Ming Jiu identified were all taken to the station.

Still shaken, Ming Mom and Zuo Dad rushed to the police station and only then learned that their precious daughter had suffered such terrible grievances. They immediately raised hell at the station, hiring lawyers and filing lawsuits, and were delighted to uncover Zuo Junxin as the true culprit.

After several students involved in the bullying were expelled, the matter shifted from a personal conflict to a family conflict. Ming Mom and Zuo Dad naturally refused to back down and took the matter before the old man.

The result was obvious. The old man's attempt to smooth things over thoroughly enraged Zuo Dad. Unfortunately, an arm could not twist a thigh. Zuo Dad made a fuss for several days without getting anywhere and could only leave in dejection.

After that, Ming Mom and Zuo Dad took Ming Jiu out of City B and settled in City G. Even when the old man died, Zuo Dad did not return for a single look.

As for Zuo Junxin...

The young miss was naturally fine. She was sent abroad to study for several years, then returned to attend an international school before going overseas again for university. Her life remained glamorous and enviable.

"More than ten years without seeing each other, and you're still just as disgusting."

Ming Jiu could not even be bothered to give Zuo Junxin an expression. If there was anyone in the Zuo Family who had inherited Zuo Zhenrong's teachings most thoroughly, it was none other than Zuo Junxin.

Zuo Junxin stood up, her beautiful eyes with their slightly upturned corners fixed viciously on Ming Jiu.

"Who exactly is disgusting? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been sent abroad. You didn't even go see Grandpa before he died, so what right do you have to take the family's money?"

"Then again, that little bit Grandpa left you is just pocket change to us, but for you two, it's life-saving money."

"How does it feel to be an orphan?"

Ming Jiu: ...

She wanted to raise a hand and cover Ming Rong's ears—then gave up.

There would be even more lunatics in the apocalypse. Building up tolerance and the ability to fight back had to start now.

"Not bad. Weren't you always an orphan? Instead of asking me, why not ask yourself more often? No, wait, I remember Aunt didn't seem to work either. She actually didn't accompany you abroad while you studied?"

"You're just resentful that Grandpa left me an inheritance and left you nothing, aren't you? You're already this old. There's really no need for it. You haven't improved at all."