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On her first day touring the place, Shen Baili had been utterly overwhelmed.

And the mansion even had several private butlers, a large staff of servants, and mercenary bodyguards on rotating duty around the clock. They were muscular and looked like they could handle themselves in a fight.

From what Shen Baili had learned over the past few days, this was the legendary Xie Family of Haicheng: the foremost of the elite families, perched at the very top of the pyramid.

Xie Chengyue was the head of the Xie Family, the man steering its vast ship. He wielded enormous power, employed ruthless methods, and had all the money and influence anyone could want.

Of course, her mother, Shen Wan, was exceptional: a beautiful, gentle, intelligent woman who was brave and independent, and whose charm shone through in both life and work.

But a worldly, powerful tycoon had fallen in love with her mother at first sight? And married her after years of being single?

Shen Baili's first thought was, Had he lost his mind?

She was long past the age of believing in fairy tales. Rather than trust in a sudden windfall, she would sooner believe she could create wealth and miracles with her own hands.

Ever since elementary school, she had dreamed of building an elite family of her own and giving her mother and herself the best of everything.

To that end, Shen Baili had planned her life early. She studied while working part-time and saved up a startup fund.

Once the college entrance exams were over, she could put her business plan into action. Shen Baili was confident she could give herself and her mother the life they dreamed of.

But plans never kept up with change.

Before she could build her own fortune, her mother, Shen Wan, had married into one of the most powerful families in the country.

Ah.

Compared with the colossus that was the Xie Family, she and her mother were ants beside an elephant. They had little ability to withstand trouble within that family.

Shen Baili worried that her mother would be mistreated or hurt in this relationship.

She decided to watch and wait, while reminding herself to stay true to who she was and not be dazzled by the wealth before her.

Mountains could crumble, rivers could run dry, and men could let you down. In the end, only you could truly rely on yourself.

Shen Baili pressed a hand to her aching head and looked out the window.

The courtyard was lush with greenery. Sunset light stained the horizon red, and somehow dusk had already fallen.

Before long, someone knocked on her door, and Butler Lin's familiar voice came from outside. "Miss Baili, the dinner you requested is ready. Would you like to come downstairs now?"

Shen Baili: "..."

She still wasn't used to conversations that sounded like lines from a play. She had tried to correct him, without success.

"I'll be right down, Uncle Lin," Shen Baili answered quickly.

Her anxiety could wait. She needed to eat before she had the energy to think.

Shen Baili could never have imagined that, in just a few hours, something would happen that would truly make her worry herself bald.

At the enormous dining table, Shen Baili sat alone. She looked at the empty seats and lowered her eyes without a word. Butler Lin volunteered an explanation. "Sir and the two young masters are all workaholics. Madam said she'd be eating out tonight."

Xie Chengyue had gone to Country M on business. The eldest Xie son, Xie Zhiyu, was in another province discussing a partnership, while the second son, Xie Tingsi, was away filming. Everyone was busy.

Apart from the family dinner held the day after her mother and Xie Chengyue registered their marriage, none of them had been together in the same room again.

Shen Baili nodded. "All right. I understand."

Her mother had messaged her an hour ago. She didn't care about the others.

Shen Baili was quite happy with the arrangement. As long as they left one another in peace, that was enough. She had no desire to become one big, loving family with the Xies.

This social distance—not too close, not too distant—suited her perfectly.

Her attention had been on the lavish meal in front of her all along. Every dish looked and smelled wonderful, and tasted even better.

Tonight's dinner was Cantonese cuisine, which focused on bringing out the ingredients' natural flavors. Everything tasted incredibly fresh.

Shen Baili ate with relish and even had a slice of lemon cheesecake for dessert.

Good food

made her forget her worries.

A little too full, she went out to the mansion's spacious, beautiful courtyard for a walk to help her digest.

Between the food and the scenery, three hours slipped by.

She returned to her bedroom, washed up, and read in bed for a while before quickly falling asleep.

Shen Baili had a strange dream. A car hit her, and after her soul left her body, she found herself in a white corridor.

She walked and walked, but it had no end.

Just as her strength gave out, a vortex opened beneath her feet. It sucked her in and dropped her into scalding lava.

So hot. It felt as though her insides were melting. The pain was too great for her to make a sound.

Shen Baili wanted to wake up, but no matter how she struggled, she couldn't break free. She could only endure the endless agony.

As the pain intensified, every bone in her body seemed to be taken apart and put back together. At the same time, countless pieces of unfamiliar information flashed through her mind.

Shen Baili seized on the crucial point: she had crossed into another world—and, as if that weren't enough, into a book.

She focused, trying to grasp more. Memories of her past and unfamiliar information surged through her mind like a tidal wave, bringing such intense pain that she finally passed out.

Late that night, Shen Wan returned home exhausted. The hollow socializing of the wealthy was hard for her to get used to, leaving her drained and overwhelmed every day. Despite how difficult it was, she had no intention of backing down. From the moment she decided to bring her daughter into the Xie Family through marriage, Shen Wan had resolved not to shirk her responsibilities. She couldn't selfishly leave her daughter to bear everything alone.

Whenever she came home, Shen Wan checked on her daughter. She went to her room and knocked three times.

"Suìsuì, are you asleep?"

Shen Wan waited outside for a few seconds. When there was no answer, she said softly, "Suìsuì, Mom's coming in."

She gently pushed open the door. The panda lamp by the bed cast a soft glow that wasn't harsh on the eyes.

Shen Wan approached quietly and sat on the edge of the bed.

The warm orange light fell across her graceful, lovely face. She was as fresh and beautiful as a lily beaded with morning dew.

Time had been kind to her. The years had only given her a touch of maturity, making her all the more captivating.

Ranking list

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Transmigration into a Book

Feel-good fiction

Rich CEO

Female Supporting Character Story

Transmigration and Rebirth Romance

Pumpkin vines

Mind Reading

Beloved by Everyone