THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

In my past life, I was mistakenly switched at birth and raised in a poor family, while my younger sister, An Tĩnh, was adopted by a billionaire family. That life was a stark contrast to what I would eventually achieve. An Tĩnh, despite being given the silver spoon, couldn’t survive the gilded cage for more than five years before being thrown out, meeting a tragic end on the streets. Meanwhile, I, An Ninh, relying on my exceptional academic achievements, earned a place at the most prestigious school, went abroad with my foster brother, Trần Phóng, and built a business empire with my own two hands. Later, with the blessing of my foster parents, Trần Phóng and I married, had children, and lived a lifetime of peace and happiness.

But when I was given a chance to live again, An Tĩnh made a choice completely opposite to the previous life.

She rushed forward and embraced my foster brother tightly, calling him “Brother,” clasped the hands of my foster parents, and looked at me with a smug, triumphant gaze. “Chi à, you can take the suffering of the elite life, can’t you? I can’t stand that man-eating place for a single second.”

I turned my gaze towards the man who had been my husband in my previous life, hoping he would say something, anything. But he only held An Tĩnh tighter, looking at me with cold indifference. “Don’t come near my sister.”

Finally, under An Tĩnh’s victorious stare, I stepped into the long, luxurious limousine. An Tĩnh’s words had instantly sparked a terrifying speculation in my mind: Could she have been reborn too? Looking into her overly confident eyes, certain of her victory, I felt a chilling realization.

“Please step inside, Miss.” The Thẩm family had not sent a family member to greet me. It was just a driver, just as it had been in the last life. When the orphanage director allowed us to choose our families, An Tĩnh had made her decision before I could even process it. Everything happened too fast to react. She had scoffed, “I don’t want to live a miserable life in a poor family. Sister, you can take that suffering for me.” She got her wish to live in the elite world then, but the smile on her face had faded day by day.

This time, I calmly boarded the opulent limousine.

On the way, the driver, while steering, strictly instructed me on the rules I needed to remember when I arrived at the Thẩm household. “Did you remember them all?” His sharp gaze met mine through the rearview mirror.

“Yes, I did.”

The car quickly arrived. I followed the driver into the mansion, a magnificent villa resembling a palace.

“Madam, she has been brought.”

The distinguished woman sitting on the sofa, sipping tea, looked up. Her eyes quickly scanned me before she waved a hand. “Come here, what is your name?”

“An Ninh.”

“An Ninh is the name the orphanage director gave me, with the wish that this life would bring me peace and good fortune.”

The woman nodded. “Good. From now on, you are Thẩm An Ninh. Butler, take the child upstairs.”

“Yes, Madam.”

I quietly followed the butler. The staircase railing was made of precious wood, and the floor was paved with expensive marble. Everything here exuded extravagance. These were all things I had managed to achieve by my own effort in my past life, so I wasn’t overly curious or dazzled. The butler turned to look at me, a fleeting hint of surprise in his eyes at my composure.

He pushed open a door, revealing a spacious and magnificent princess room. “Miss, this will be your room from now on. You should rest for a while; I will return later.” With that, he departed.

I stepped inside, observing the room. It was furnished beautifully; clearly, the Thẩm family was not cheap with their adopted daughter. Every detail spoke of the refinement and luxury of the elite class. In my heart, however, a sense of fierce excitement welled up. In my past life, without the backing of a powerful family, I had to climb every rung of the ladder alone. But in this life, I had stepped into the Thẩm family. With their support, I was determined to forge a path that belonged entirely to me.

Just as I was thinking, a loud shout echoed from behind me. The door was suddenly thrown open, and a basketball, without warning, flew straight at me, hitting me squarely on the head with a dull thud.

“Hey, country bumpkin, pick up the ball for me.” A disdainful voice rang out behind me.

I slowly turned around. Standing before me was a male student who looked to be around my age but was much taller. He held his head high, his expression arrogant and haughty. If I remembered correctly, this was the Thẩm family’s only son, Thẩm Cảnh Diệu. He was addicted to dangerous sports like racing and skydiving—a typical spoiled playboy with no interest in the family business. In the last life, he was in a serious racing accident that severed his spinal cord, leaving him permanently paralyzed from the waist down, which made his temper even more volatile.

“Hey, what are you gaping at? Didn’t you hear me?” His impatient voice snapped me back. I bent down, picked up the basketball, and handed it back to him. Remembering the driver’s instructions, I softly called out, “Anh, your ball.”

He paused for a moment, then gave a cold laugh. “You know how to butter people up, but don’t think that will get you a share of the Thẩm family’s assets.” He turned and walked away.

For the next few days, I barely saw Madam Thẩm. Thẩm Cảnh Diệu was even more elusive, like a dragon’s head that rarely showed its tail. The butler took me on a tour to familiarize myself with the sprawling, breathtaking mansion. After the tour, he handed me a schedule packed with courses related to business administration.

“This is your upcoming timetable, Miss. Starting tomorrow, you will receive one-on-one tutoring in enterprise management. Everything has been arranged by Madam. You only need to focus on your studies. Your future benefits will be substantial. Well? Can you handle it?”

In my past life, I only started learning this knowledge when I launched my own startup. Now, at only 15, I was being given the opportunity. Naturally, I was overjoyed and nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, I can.”

A hint of surprise flashed in the butler’s eyes, but he said nothing, continuing to advise me on things to note. To ensure I didn’t fall behind on high school knowledge, Madam Thẩm even invited a private tutor for me. But these were things I had already learned early on in my past life, so they posed no difficulty.

In just one short year, I had mastered all the knowledge, even learning how to apply it flexibly. “This child is a fast learner! Not only the high school program but also the complex management subjects, she absorbs it all.” The tutor whom Madam had hired praised me constantly in front of her. I just sat quietly, listening. The tutor happily added, “At this rate, she doesn’t need to finish high school; she can go straight to studying abroad.”

But Madam Thẩm had other plans. She wanted me to complete high school alongside Thẩm Cảnh Diệu, and then the two of us would go abroad together. On the surface, it sounded like she wanted us to look out for each other, but the truth was, she wanted me to be the one to rein in that ‘wild horse.’

Madam Thẩm rewarded the tutor handsomely, her eyes gazing at me with increasing satisfaction and trust. “Come here,” she pulled me down to sit next to her, handing me an admission notice. “Well done. Cảnh Diệu can’t raise his scores, so you help him a bit. The requirement isn’t high—just enough to pass the threshold. After you graduate from high school, I will send you both overseas. How about that?”

Without beating around the bush, Madam Thẩm laid out her demand. I didn’t hesitate and replied immediately, “Thank you, Mother.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly very pleased, and squeezed my hand a little tighter. “You’re a good girl.”

As a reward, Madam Thẩm gave me a card, allowing me a free day to go out and play. This was the first day since arriving at the Thẩm household that I truly got to relax.

The driver dropped me off at the bustling city center. I got out alone. After walking a few steps, a familiar figure caught my eye. It was Thẩm An Tĩnh. She was standing by the roadside under the scorching sun, handing out flyers.

The Trần family was very poor, almost struggling. It wasn’t surprising that she had to work part-time to earn money. After all, I had lived the same life in the past. During the summer, I had to work three jobs at once while diligently studying. Not only that, I had to do all the household chores for my foster parents. They claimed to treat us equally, but they never made Trần Phóng do anything. I only realized later that they adopted me not out of love or a desire for a good daughter, but because they wanted free labor.

“Hello, would you mind looking at this?” A flyer was pushed in front of me.

Thẩm An Tĩnh looked up, saw me, and froze. “An Ninh.” Her eyes scanned me, lingering on my branded clothes and meticulously cared-for skin, a flash of envy visible for a split second. She then forced a smile. “You look like you’re living comfortably, Sister, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. The Thẩm family is not a place where just anyone can live peacefully. Madam Thẩm is much scarier than you imagine. You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Oh.” My casual response annoyed her slightly. She quickly started boasting about her own foster parents. “Aunt and Uncle treat me very well. I’m doing great every day. My brother even tutors me. Oh, right. This year, the two of us were granted an exception and accepted into Nhất Trung.”

Nhất Trung—wasn’t that the school Madam Thẩm had just given me the admission notice for? Students admitted there were all from prestigious families, with extraordinary backgrounds. Of course, some were also selected solely for their outstanding academic results. In the last life, the ones who were admitted by exception were my foster brother and me.

“Our future life will definitely get better and better. As for you, you’re certainly going to die miserably on the streets.” She said it with absolute conviction.

I was about to reply when she stopped. “Anh… why are you here?” Thẩm An Tĩnh joyfully ran to embrace Trần Phóng. He carried a lunchbox, handing it to her. “Mom told me to bring you food. It’s so hot out here. Why don’t I take your place for a while?”

“No need, Anh, I can do it.” The Trần foster parents would rather grit their teeth and pay for expensive tutoring for Trần Phóng than allow Thẩm An Tĩnh to rest. I had been exploited exactly the same way in my past life.

“You must be tired,” Trần Phóng said. Only then did he notice me standing nearby. “Anh, this is my sister, An Ninh. You met her at the orphanage.” Thẩm An Tĩnh introduced me.

Trần Phóng glanced at me, his eyes cold and tinged with disgust. He said nothing to me, only turned to An Tĩnh to instruct her. “Don’t associate with questionable people like her anymore. Let’s go.”

Before I could open my mouth, Trần Phóng pulled Thẩm An Tĩnh away.

“Anh, why are you so rough? What if you scared her?” An Tĩnh feigned innocence, softly protesting.

Trần Phóng said sternly, “Silly sister, one look at a person like her tells you she’s not decent. Don’t get involved with her in the future, or you never know when she’ll stab you in the back.”

His unpleasant words echoed in the air, stirring a slight ripple in my heart, but nothing significant. I took the card Madam Thẩm gave me and went straight to the mall, buying a pile of expensive designer items.

When I stepped out, laden with shopping bags, Thẩm An Tĩnh’s face turned ashen. “Hmph, what’s there to be smug about? You’ll still die miserably later. Unlike my brother and me, we’re going to open a big company in the future.”

I chuckled at her naivety. I carried the big and small bags back to the Thẩm mansion. Actually, none of the items were for myself. They were all gifts for Madam Thẩm and Thẩm Cảnh Diệu.

When I arrived, I saw Thẩm Cảnh Diệu was home, which was rare. As soon as he saw me, he snorted. “Oh, you’ve only been in the Thẩm family for a few days and you’ve already picked up the habit of bringing home bags of shopping? Do you think the things in this house are yours?”

“Cảnh Diệu!” Madam Thẩm yelled a warning.

“Well, she’s your daughter,” Cảnh Diệu pouted. “What daughter? That country girl? It’s embarrassing to take her out.”

Thẩm Cảnh Diệu had always disliked me, but I had no intention of provoking a confrontation. I opened the bags and took out the gifts one by one.

“Mother, I bought this for you.” I handed her a gift box containing a thin, soft silk scarf. I then presented gifts to the butler and the housekeepers who had looked after me.

I saw a look of emotion in Madam Thẩm’s eyes, different from her usual composure—it was satisfaction. The butler and the other staff also looked surprised and touched. Thẩm Cảnh Diệu’s face darkened considerably. “Hmph, you think a few gifts can buy people’s hearts?”

“Anh, this is my gift for you.” I acted as if I hadn’t heard him. I took out the last gift, a model race car. “I heard Mother say you like racing, and I saw this at the mall, so I bought it for you.”

He froze for a moment, mumbled something, and then took it.

Not long after, it was the first day of school. I had planned to call a car, but when I reached the gate, I saw the car was still parked there. My face lit up with a small hint of joy. I hurried over.

“Who are you calling ‘Anh’?! I’m not your brother!” Thẩm Cảnh Diệu haughtily opened the car door. “Stop lagging! Get in the car! My time is precious, Young Miss.”

“Yes, yes.” I timidly replied, handing him the breakfast the housekeeper had prepared. “Mother said one portion for each of us.”

Thẩm Cảnh Diệu looked slightly awkward and mumbled, “Who still eats breakfast, anyway?” but he accepted it. I raised an eyebrow. It seemed he was tough on the outside but soft on the inside.

Before getting out of the car, he didn’t forget to warn me. “Let me tell you, don’t claim to be my sister at school, and don’t let anyone know we have any connection, or I’ll deal with you.” He immediately got out of the car.

“Miss, please don’t take it to heart. Young Master has always been like this since he was little.” The driver comforted me.

I shook my head, softly replying, “It’s nothing,” and got out of the car.

Coincidentally, I saw two familiar figures at the school gate. Trần Phóng had a striking appearance, and his cold, calm demeanor attracted the attention of many female students. People were surrounding him and Thẩm An Tĩnh.

“Did you hear? That’s the top scorer in the whole city, specially recruited by the school! Amazing, right? His sister is also talented, ranked 15th city-wide. So jealous. I wish I had a brother like that.”

Based on the results, I was placed in Class 1—coincidentally, the same class as Trần Phóng and Thẩm An Tĩnh. Thẩm Cảnh Diệu was assigned to the very last class.

As I walked into the classroom, Trần Phóng and Thẩm An Tĩnh followed, immediately swarmed by the crowd. Thẩm An Tĩnh, beaming, walked over to me. “What a coincidence, Sister! I didn’t think we’d be in the same class.”

“Well, it makes sense. The Thẩm family has so much power; it would take them a minute to get you into this school. Unlike my brother and me, we had to work so hard we almost broke our backs to pass the exam.”

“Oh, right. Where is that useless son of the Thẩm family? Knowing Madam Thẩm, she must have arranged for him to be admitted too, right?”

I frowned, about to speak, but was interrupted. “An Tĩnh.” Trần Phóng walked closer, his eyes still full of displeasure as he looked at me. He pulled Thẩm An Tĩnh behind him. “I told you, don’t associate with her.”

“Brother, she hasn’t done anything wrong,” Thẩm An Tĩnh played the innocent card, softly contradicting him.

Trần Phóng stated sharply, “How do you know she isn’t bad? She studies all day with a packed schedule.”

Not bothered by their bickering, I pulled out my management study materials and started reading.

After school, Thẩm Cảnh Diệu and I met at the school gate to go home together. He originally didn’t want to, only doing so because Madam Thẩm forced him. But as the days passed, although he still feigned annoyance on the surface, every time he came to the school gate, he brought me a different snack.

Looking at the small cake he presented to me, I froze for a moment. “I saw the other girls eating this. What, don’t you like it?”

“I do! Of course, I do!” My joy was barely contained. I quickly took the cake. Over the next week, it was something different every day—french fries, fruit, yogurt—I virtually sampled the entire row of street vendors outside the school. Over the semester, our relationship gradually improved.

One day, as usual, I rushed to the school gate with anticipation but couldn’t find Thẩm Cảnh Diệu. I searched everywhere on campus, but he was nowhere to be seen. Just then, I overheard a few voices whispering nearby.

“Hey, did you hear? Thẩm Cảnh Diệu and someone else made a bet to race behind the mountain.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It must be starting right now.”

My heart leaped fiercely. I remembered. In the past life, Thẩm Cảnh Diệu was also tricked into a race. The car was sabotaged. Coupled with the treacherous terrain behind the mountain, he had a serious accident. Because he wasn’t rushed to the hospital in time, both his legs were permanently paralyzed.

No. It cannot happen again.

I ran like a maniac towards the mountain behind the school. When I got there, the race had already begun. The spectators were densely packed, shouting loudly. Race cars zipped past, raising clouds of dust. The very next second, a loud explosion rang out. The red sports car lost control and slammed straight into the jagged rock formation in the corner.

I screamed and lunged towards the car. Just a little more, just a little more, and I could have pulled him out!

But a strong force from behind jerked me, throwing me to the ground. “This is my brother you’re messing with?” A vicious face looked down at me.

“Call an ambulance! My brother is about to die!” I looked at the driver’s seat, where Thẩm Cảnh Diệu was trapped, unable to breathe. My heart felt squeezed to the bottom.

“Your brother crossed me! And you want to save him? Dream on!” The man slapped me hard across the face, mocking me.

I jumped up, slapped him back with all my might, and screamed, “This is attempted murder! You’re breaking the law! I won’t let this go!” I wanted to scare them and buy time to call for help.

But my phone was snatched from my hand and thrown far away. Another slap landed, and I fell to my knees. “Who do you think you are, brat, to scream like that?” A foot stomped down hard on my face. The intense pain made my head spin.

In a daze, I saw a familiar shadow: Trần Phóng.

“Anh, save me!” I screamed with all my might.

Trần Phóng clearly took a step closer, but Thẩm An Tĩnh quickly grabbed his arm. “Anh, don’t look. Don’t interfere. Those people are not easy to mess with.”

I watched Trần Phóng’s face change from hesitation to resignation. “Okay.” He gave me one last deep look, then turned and walked away.

The man beside me cackled, pulling a large hammer from his car. “No one has ever dared to hit me in my life. Today, I’ll show you the price of a slap!” The screams were scattered by the wind. He raised the hammer high and brought it down.

Agh!

At the moment the hammer descended, I squeezed my eyes shut. A painful grunt sounded right next to my ear. The pain I expected never came.

I opened my eyes wide. It was Thẩm Cảnh Diệu. He was standing in front of me, shielding me. Warm drops of blood from his mouth landed on my face with a faint splash. My heart was completely choked.

“Anh! Anh! Don’t scare me!” Right before my eyes, Thẩm Cảnh Diệu collapsed to the ground. I felt my heart plummet. I rushed to support him. “Anh, don’t sleep! Wake up! Don’t scare me!”

“You want to die, don’t you?” The fierce-faced man grabbed my hair, lifting me up like a cat. “One more moan, and I’ll sew your mouth shut, keep you silent forever!”

At this moment, worry completely overwhelmed fear. I grabbed his wrist tightly. “You people are attempting murder! This is illegal! I’ve already called the police! You better let us go, or else…”

My words were cut off as a force like an iron clamp tightened around my neck. The air was blocked. I could only make a faint, choked sound. I saw his face twist from fierce to maniacal.

“Called the police? Who are you trying to scare? Even if you did, I’m not afraid! Today, I’ll show you what happens when you cross me!” He smirked, his expression maliciously terrifying.

With that, he threw me to the ground. My whole body crashed down hard, and my head rang with a sharp ache. Before I could react, he strode over to my brother and delivered a strong kick. My brother curled up, trembling in pain.

Ignoring the pain in my own body, I lunged forward and hugged his leg. “Don’t hit my brother! I forbid you!” I was practically screaming until my throat was raw. But my strength was no match for him. He kicked me aside with a single movement.

“You say don’t hit, and I don’t hit? What about my reputation?” He waved his hand. His accomplices immediately swarmed forward, surrounding Thẩm Cảnh Diệu. Punches, kicks, and knees rained down on him like a storm. Blood splattered onto the ground.

I spotted an iron bar not far away. I lunged and grabbed it. Get out of the way! One down, two down! I swung the iron bar wildly, like a trapped wild beast. The gang members were intimidated and backed away one by one.

Once I had pushed them far enough, I didn’t care about anything else and rushed to hold my brother. Blood continuously poured from his mouth. My hands trembled violently.

“Anh, are you okay? Please, hold on! Don’t let anything happen! I’ll get you out of here!”

Though he was a weight, at this moment, after years of disciplined exercise, I didn’t find him as heavy as I’d imagined. I strained to lift him, guiding him step by step out of the encirclement. Just down the mountain and onto the road, I can call a car, I can save him. I gritted my teeth, pulling him along, step by step.

“Where do you think you’re going?” A large shadow fell over us.

The gang members stood in a line before us, their faces mocking. “You thought you two could walk away today? You hit our boss, and you think you can just leave? Did you ask us first?” The leader spun the iron pipe in his hand.

Another burly man stepped up, his muscles bulging like living rock. Despite a year of martial arts training provided by Madam Thẩm, facing these giants, I was truly unsure if I could resist them.

“Don’t worry about me. Run!” My brother’s voice was weak as a thread, as he tried to push me away. But how could his strength at this moment be greater than mine? I held him close, shaking my head. “I’m not leaving. If we go, we go together. I won’t leave you alone.”

“What touching sibling love.” The applause from one man rang out, and the leader’s eyes suddenly turned vicious. “But it’s time to end this.”

With that, he unexpectedly launched a kick. Unprepared, I was thrown to the ground. My brother fell with me. The gang members slowly closed in, encircling us, their iron bars dragging across the stone, making a chilling, metallic sound.

“Go, boys! Who lays the hardest hit? I’ll give him a big reward later!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the whole group lunged forward like mad dogs.

Brother! Instinct made me immediately wrap my arms tightly around Thẩm Cảnh Diệu, shielding him with my body. Absolutely nothing can happen to him. I closed my eyes and prayed. Be safe. You must be safe.

A gunshot rang out. The iron bars clattered to the ground. No blows rained down as I had expected.

“Stay where you are! Hands up! It’s the police!”

The police had arrived. They quickly surrounded and protected my brother and me. The thugs, who moments before had been so aggressive, were instantly panicked and tried to flee.

I grabbed the shirt of a policeman, my voice trembling. “Please take my brother to the hospital! Hurry, please!” Thẩm Cảnh Diệu’s legs were already injured in the car accident, and now they had taken a brutal beating. If we were delayed even a little longer, the consequences were unimaginable. The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine.

When the stretcher arrived, and I watched my brother being rushed into the ambulance, I finally allowed the tension in my nerves to ease. Then, I collapsed, unconscious.

I woke up the next afternoon. The moment I opened my eyes, I saw Madam Thẩm sitting by my bed. “Ninh Ninh, you’re awake.” Her eyes were red-rimmed, and she quickly grabbed my hand.

I nodded, my voice hoarse. “How is my brother?”

At the mention of Thẩm Cảnh Diệu, her eyes welled up. “Cảnh Diệu was just pushed into the operating room. He hasn’t come out yet.”

Before she could finish, the doctor stepped in to announce that the patient had been moved out of the operating room. Madam Thẩm and I rushed forward almost simultaneously.

The doctor reassured us. “Madam, you can rest easy. The patient’s leg has been saved. He was extremely lucky; any later, and we wouldn’t have been able to save it. For now, he needs rest and treatment. Additionally, his back received severe impact damage, but fortunately, it didn’t affect the spine.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. If Thẩm Cảnh Diệu had suffered a permanent disability because of me, I would never have forgiven myself.

He woke up two days later. Despite his mother’s scolding, he paid no attention, only turning to look at me. “Little sister, are you okay?”

It was the first time since I stepped into the Thẩm family that he had called me “little sister.” Not only me, but Madam Thẩm was also stunned. “What did you just call Ninh Ninh?”

“Little sister,” Thẩm Cảnh Diệu emphasized the word again.

Madam Thẩm patted my shoulder. I understood very clearly that the pat meant they had acknowledged me. They acknowledged my existence in the Thẩm family, no longer as a replacement sent to supervise Thẩm Cảnh Diệu, but as a true member of the family.

“Good girl.” Madam Thẩm embraced me, then stroked her son’s head, repeatedly cautioning him. “No more racing from now on. Stay home and study properly with Ninh Ninh. After you graduate from high school, I will send both of you abroad.”

She had said this many times. Each time, Thẩm Cảnh Diệu had haughtily refused. But this time, he nodded obediently. “Okay, I’ll go with my little sister.” He looked at me.

Madam Thẩm squeezed my hand tightly. I felt the genuine warmth from her palm—not false, not forced. In that moment, I knew I truly had a family.

Afterward, I reported to the police about the group of thugs who had tampered with my brother’s race car. Through investigation, the truth was clarified. Coupled with the intentional assault, they were sentenced according to the severity of their crimes.

Thẩm Cảnh Diệu held my hand, his gaze firm. “From now on, I will protect you. Don’t be foolish again. Don’t throw yourself into danger like that, hear me?” he said seriously.

“Yes,” I replied, but in my heart, I thought that even next time, or a hundred times more, if I had to choose again in that situation, I would still do the same without hesitation.

My brother, Thẩm Cảnh Diệu, was hospitalized for three months. I requested leave from school to study outside, staying home to care for him throughout those three months, while also tutoring him through the entire final-year curriculum.

A month after his recovery, my brother and I returned to school together, just in time for the monthly exam. As I stepped out of the examination room, I bumped into two familiar faces I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Trần Phóng and Thẩm An Tĩnh. Upon seeing me, Thẩm An Tĩnh paused momentarily. She feigned surprise. “Sister, when did you return to school? I heard you were injured. Was it serious? I thought you dropped out for good.” From her exaggerated expression, I only saw satisfaction deep in her eyes.

I didn’t reply, walking past them. “An Ninh.” Suddenly, Trần Phóng called me back. Rarely did he not use his usual hateful gaze, only softly asking, “Are you okay?”

The image of that day flooded back: the desperation, his indifferent eyes, the decisive turning away. Even towards a stranger, one shouldn’t be so cruel. I felt not a shred of affection left for him.

“I’m fine,” I replied coolly.

Just as I was about to walk away, he stepped forward and grabbed my hand. “What are you doing?” Before I could pull away, a school bag came flying and hit Trần Phóng squarely. He immediately let go.

Thẩm Cảnh Diệu walked over, bent down to pick up his bag. “What’s with the touching? Are you laying a hand on my sister?”

“Anh…” Trần Phóng was about to say something.

“Brother, don’t pay attention to them. Let’s go.” Thẩm An Tĩnh immediately ran over and pulled Trần Phóng’s hand, leading him away. He took a few steps but kept looking back until he was completely out of sight.

“What a jerk! If he ever dares to touch you again, tell me.” Thẩm Cảnh Diệu raised a fist to demonstrate.

I laughed. “It’s okay. Let’s go home.”

“Yes, little sister. I’m serious, though. I’m definitely going to ace this month’s exam, get into the top class, and sit next to you. Do you believe me?” My brother’s face was full of confidence.

“I believe you.”

“Your ‘I believe you’ sounds perfunctory.”

“It’s not. I really mean it.” I had never doubted his ability to learn. He was naturally smart; he just hadn’t wanted to study before. Over the past three months of tutoring, I had clearly felt him improving bit by bit.

Reality proved me right. A week later, the monthly exam results were announced. Thẩm Cảnh Diệu truly jumped from the bottom ranks to the top 30 in the whole grade—just enough to qualify for Class 1. I maintained my rank as number one.

What surprised me was Trần Phóng and Thẩm An Tĩnh. The two who had maintained top-5 positions for a long time now dropped out of the top 100, relegated to Class 2.

On the results board, the two glaring numbers made Thẩm An Tĩnh clench her fists, her envious eyes practically burning the paper. “Impossible! How could this happen?” She glared at me. “Thẩm An Ninh, you must have cheated! Dropping out for so long and still ranking first in the whole grade? Who would believe that? And that Thẩm Cảnh Diệu—he was nearly crippled! How is he completely fine and testing so well? I don’t believe it! You two definitely cheated!”

Thẩm An Tĩnh went berserk, demanding to report us to the principal’s office, insisting the school investigate thoroughly. Even though Trần Phóng tried hard to hold her back, he couldn’t stop her. She glared at me, gritting out every word, “Cheating will get you expelled! You’re dead, Thẩm An Ninh!”

“An Tĩnh, stop making trouble!” Trần Phóng grabbed her arm, but she angrily shook him off.

She screamed hysterically and maliciously. “You’re my brother! You should be on my side! Why are you defending that bitch? Do you like her now?”

Trần Phóng remained silent. Thẩm An Tĩnh seemed to understand something, nodding. “Fine, you just wait.” With that, she stormed off.

Not long after, Thẩm Cảnh Diệu and I were both called up to the principal’s office. After investigation, the school confirmed we had not cheated. Conversely, for baseless slander and disrupting school order, Thẩm An Tĩnh was issued a disciplinary warning. She was nearly mad. “No! You can’t record a fault against me! They clearly cheated! Are you all blind? No way!” Because she insulted the board of directors, she was almost expelled.

Her foster parents, the Trần family, rushed over to apologize and offer gifts, and the school reluctantly allowed her to continue studying. However, her crazed behavior had spread throughout the school, and rumors were rampant. Even Trần Phóng, who had once cared for her deeply, gradually began to avoid her.

Realizing this, Thẩm An Tĩnh grew even more frantic. Trần Phóng was so troubled by her constant harassment that he was exhausted. His academic performance plummeted, dropping from Class 2 straight to the bottom class, and he was even warned by teachers that he was at risk of disciplinary action and forced withdrawal if he didn’t focus on his studies. Hearing this, Thẩm An Tĩnh again picked a fight with a teacher, claiming the teacher liked Trần Phóng and was deliberately trying to split them up. She lost control, severely injuring the teacher, and was finally expelled.

The rumors reached my ears, and my pen momentarily paused. A piece of cake was offered in front of me. “Tired of studying? Eat this.” I looked up. It was my brother, smiling broadly at me.

“Thank you, Anh.” I took the cake, eating it slowly.

From the window, a pair of eyes was clearly staring in. I turned my head. It was Trần Phóng. I hadn’t seen him in a long time. He looked quite changed, no longer possessing the cold, calm academic demeanor everyone had once admired, only looking weary and desolate. I lowered my eyes and turned away, not looking at him again.

After finishing the cake, I returned to my studies.

Right before the university entrance exams, under Madam Thẩm’s guidance, my brother and I applied together to an international university and registered for the entrance examination. Madam Thẩm said, “If you pass that exam, you don’t need to take the domestic one; you can leave the country immediately.” But my brother and I decided to take the local exam anyway, for no special reason, simply wanting the experience one last time.

The night the exam ended, cheers echoed throughout the dormitory. My brother secretly snuck out, bought a pile of food, and came back. “Take this, share it with your roommates.” He put the food down and quickly ran off.

I picked up the large bag of food and headed back to my room when I saw a familiar figure standing in the dark corner. What is it? My heart skipped a beat, a series of possibilities flashing through my mind.

Until that figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Trần Phóng. He looked noticeably thinner, his eye sockets sunken, his face tired.

“How was the exam?” he asked.

I was stunned. Are we that close? To the point where he asks about my exam score? If I remembered correctly, throughout the previous period, he had always looked at me with malicious intent.

The air fell silent.