The Unveiling: The Tale of the Forgotten Heir

The atmosphere in the luxurious Lin family mansion was suffocatingly tense. Lin Nuonuo, the daughter who had recently returned after years of being lost, stood silently before the wrath of her father and elder brothers. She wore a simple dress, her face reflecting stubbornness and exhaustion. In stark contrast was Lin Qingzhi, the beautiful and gentle adopted younger sister, who was nestled beside their father, her eyes red from crying.

“Master, save my daughter! Save my daughter, Master!”

The desperate cry of a father, coupled with a string of peculiar acupuncture points (“100 hours Renzhong, two into Shaoshang…”), was the first message that entered Nuonuo’s mind after she woke up. It came from another world—the novel she had just read, where she was reborn as a sacrificial lamb named Lin Nuonuo.

In the novel, Lin Qingzhi was the pampered female protagonist, while Nuonuo, despite being the biological daughter, was talentless and morally lacking, serving only as a foil to Qingzhi’s perfection. Currently, she faced the exact situation where the original Nuonuo had locked the protagonist Qingzhi in the basement.

“Lin Nuonuo! Even if you don’t accept Qingzhi as your sister, she has already yielded and moved out of the old house. Why do you continue to pressure and harm her? Qingzhi is ill, and yet you locked her up with Heng for a day and a night! If your father hadn’t found her, who knows if a murder might have occurred! Today, you must apologize to your sister. If you don’t make your attitude clear, then get out of the Lin family! Lin Mingyan will not have a daughter like you!”

Nuonuo’s initial curiosity about this novel world was quickly replaced by indignation.

That’s the novel I just read. In the story, Lin Qingzhi is the female lead, and Nuonuo, though the lost biological daughter, is untalented and serves only as a sacrifice. Judging by the current situation, it seems to be the moment when the sacrificial lamb locks the female lead in the basement.

Lin Qingzhi sobbed weakly, her voice delicate but laced with cunning: “Father, Third Brother, please don’t blame my sister. It’s my fault; I shouldn’t have been curious enough to go down to the basement. Perhaps my sister thought no one was down there when she locked the door. I truly didn’t expect this…”

Nuonuo looked up at her “innocent” sister putting on a show.

It’s true that this girl was locked in the basement, but I opened the door in less than an hour. She deliberately stayed there for a day and a night to gain sympathy at Nuonuo’s expense.

“What nonsense are you talking about again, Third Brother?” Nuonuo abruptly interrupted Lin Xingyou (Third Brother).

He was surprised: “What’s wrong, Sister? I haven’t said anything just now.”

Suddenly, another conversation echoed in Nuonuo’s mind.

This is the Lin family’s Third Young Master, who was tricked by his girlfriend into going abroad, having his liver and kidney sold, and forced into illegal labor. It seems this is the day. After tonight, he’ll be locked up in a foreign prison, keeping company with rats and roaches. The next time we meet him will be half a year later.

Nuonuo realized her special ability: hearing inner thoughts and knowing crucial plot points of this novel world. As the designated sacrificial lamb, she resolved not to follow the manipulated path of the original Nuonuo.

Instead of arguing, Nuonuo made a surprising decision: she would move out.

“This past month, I have been impulsive and unruly, causing not a few troubles for our family. Therefore, I’ve decided to move out instead of my sister to reflect on my actions. However, moving out alone means higher living costs, and the money in my card might not be enough.”

The house in the suburbs is smaller than the old one, but it’s still a private two-story villa. Furthermore, I have 3 billion in the bank card.

Third Brother Lin Xingyou immediately transferred money to her: “4 billion. Wait a bit for the fake grandparents; I’ll demand more from a few others later. Try to scrape together 6 billion. 6 billion for prosperity and good fortune.“

Nuonuo chuckled inwardly. With 4 billion in her account, she had an even bigger plan.

“Thank you, Father. I will go pack my things right away.”

Her satisfied laugh was once again misunderstood by the family. Father Lin, who was having an affair, suspected she had mental issues.

“Father, did you hear Lin Nuonuo laughing?” “Laughing at what? Since you failed your investment, you’ve been muttering nonsense every day. I think your mental state is problematic; go see a psychiatrist.”

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Nuonuo immediately focused on saving Third Brother, Lin Xingyou, from his girlfriend Chen Zhiquan’s conspiracy.

Qingzhi tried to urge Xingyou to go to the airport to meet Zhiquan, but Nuonuo had planted the seed of doubt.

“Third Brother, just now Zhiquan messaged me saying she’s arrived at the airport. Hurry and go; don’t make Zhiquan wait too long.”

Thanks to the information Nuonuo overheard, Xingyou suddenly changed his mind: “I feel a bit unwell today. I’ll message Zhiquan and clarify things; we can go next week instead.”

Qingzhi paled, clearly flustered.

Lin Qingzhi’s makeup skills are terrible. Applying such a thick layer of foundation that it’s already rubbing off on her collar.

Xingyou started noticing the small details: “Xiao Zhi, did you put on makeup today?”

Nuonuo didn’t miss the opportunity: “Third Brother, you’re not going anymore? But Zhiquan is waiting for you at the airport.”

Xingyou reassured Qingzhi and then turned to Nuonuo: “Lin Nuonuo has decided to move out. No one will bully you anymore.”

Just then, Madam Lin, Su Ruoxian, walked in. She was the only person in the family whose genuine affection Nuonuo could feel.

She is indeed beautiful. It’s just a pity she married such a man. I heard the Lin family wasn’t wealthy before. Only after Madam Lin entered the Lin family and the Su family strongly assisted them did they gain their current status. Yet, he still secretly commits adultery and supports his former lover. She truly was the top beauty of the capital 20 years ago. Even close to 50, she still possesses remarkable grace and looks barely 30. In comparison, this fake father looks much older, but the mistress he keeps outside seems quite compatible with him. Apparently, she was his college sweetheart. Her family background is only on par with the Lin family’s old status, and she’s not as beautiful as my mother.

Thanks to Nuonuo’s inner thoughts, Su Ruoxian and Lin Xingyou began to hear her true thoughts, as well as those of others.

Xingyou exclaimed: “Are the things Lin Nuonuo said true or false? If false, then never mind, but if true, how does she know? Now that she’s locked Qingzhi in the basement, if she stays here, who knows what else she might do.”

Madam Lin, now empowered by her daughter’s inner voice: “Beautiful Mother is truly amazing. I knew it. Only Mother in this whole Lin family truly loves me. Unlike Third Brother, whose career is a mess, whose love life is a joke, and who is busy finding fault with me instead of fixing his own problems. He deserves to be tricked into going abroad and having his kidney sold by Chen Zhiquan.”

Xingyou was shocked: “If it’s true, about Chen Zhiquan cheating on him and tricking him. Then, is the ‘Bắc Giang’ (a slang for catching someone cheating) next?”

Madam Lin: “It’s good that the girl realizes her mistake. I will pay attention to her; there won’t be a next time.”

Lin Nuonuo, the novel’s sacrificial lamb, had become the fateful chess piece altering the destiny of the entire family.

Determined to save her Third Brother, Nuonuo used her “ultimate technique” to predict the location of Chen Zhiquan and her lover.

“Third Brother, wait a moment. Why are you giving me paper and a pen? Write one word first. Let me check if your handwriting is normal. Hurry up, hurry up! This great master will read your fortune based on your handwriting. Remember to think about Chen Zhiquan!”

Xingyou wrote the character “Lin” (La^m). Nuonuo analyzed it: “The character La^m has two trees ($mộc$), representing people. Chen Zhiquan is indeed secretly involved with a man. The two tree components point to the surrounding trees. The character is leaning towards the east. The last stroke points upwards towards the north. That means Northeast of the Lin family house, at the Bàn Sơn Heights villa complex.“

The two rushed to the Bàn Sơn Heights. Nuonuo internally complained while running:

Third Brother really knows how to keep his cool. It’s a critical moment, and he’s still asking about my friend’s location? Chen Zhiquan is currently making out with her lover at number 10, Zone 7. If we’re late, there’ll be no ‘Bắc Giang’ to catch!

Xingyou was controlling his escalating anger. But when he saw the scene of Chen Zhiquan and her lover, Triệu Hạc Giận (Zhao Hejian), embracing, the truth exploded.

“Xingyou, why are you here?” Zhiquan panicked.

“Chen Zhiquan! I regret treating you so well! I gave you a house, a car, I nearly picked stars from the sky for you! And the result is fantastic! You go behind my back and cheat on me! Why, exactly?”

Nuonuo didn’t let Zhiquan explain; she burst out: “Don’t listen to any explanation! Her identity as the daughter of the Chen family is fake! She can’t be the mistress of the Lin family! She planned to trick all the money from you, lure you abroad, sell your kidney, force you into illegal labor, and hold you for ransom to bleed the Lin family dry!”

Shocked and enraged, Zhao Hejian pulled out a knife: “You, you, you!”

Why is he holding a knife? Is he planning to kill Third Brother and take his kidney right here? Why is Third Brother just standing there? Run!

In the face of death, Xingyou froze, but Nuonuo plunged forward: “Third Brother, quickly find a place to hide!”

Zhao Hejian and his subordinates turned to Nuonuo: “Such a beautiful girl; it’s a shame to kill her. How about we just kill the guy?”

“You scumbags! How dare you stare at my sister! I’ll gouge your eyes out!” Xingyou roared.

During the struggle, Nuonuo, possessing the raw strength of the original Nuonuo (who did farm work in the countryside), broke the wrist of one subordinate.

Lin Xingyou (Third Brother) and Lin Xingyou (Eldest Brother), who had followed Nuonuo out of concern, rushed in. Eldest Brother commanded: “Everyone put down your weapons! Don’t move!”

Third Brother, embracing Nuonuo, choked up: “I’m sorry I involved you in this.”

The confrontation concluded with the intervention of Eldest Brother, who had called the police after hearing Nuonuo’s inner thoughts about Zhao Hejian.

After this incident, Eldest Brother also began hearing Nuonuo’s inner voice:

This Eldest Brother is very kind, but it’s a pity he dies too soon. If I remember correctly, it was liver cancer. He stays up late and overworks every day, exhausting his body. The symptoms only appear two years later when he finally gets checked, but by then, it’s too late.

Eldest Brother and Third Brother looked at each other: “Did you also hear Nuonuo’s inner thoughts?”

After dealing with the threat of Chen Zhiquan and Zhao Hejian, Nuonuo joined forces with her mother and two brothers to investigate the truth about her cheating father, Lin Mingyan.

Madam Lin, Su Ruoxian, found a clue. The four of them went searching for Lin Mingyan and his mistress.

“Mother, are you planning to go look for Father?” Nuonuo asked.

“How did you know?”

“Mother, Mother, do you suspect Father is having an affair? When did this start? Did you hear it from Lin Nuonuo?” Third Brother quickly connected the events.

They arrived at the Xinghe residential area, just as Lin Mingyan was taking his heavily pregnant mistress to a car to go abroad.

“Brother Yan, why are you only arriving now? I’ve been waiting for you for so long.” The mistress whined, clutching her belly.

Su Ruoxian stopped her son from rushing in: “I have my own plan. Take the pictures. I will make them pay.”

However, Lin Mingyan quickly took the mistress away, having been alerted.

“Mother, it might not be over yet. If we rush in now, we might still have a chance. The mistress’s house is on the 16th floor. Today might be the last opportunity. Otherwise, Father will take the mistress abroad later. It will be hard to grasp his weakness then.”

Thanks to Nuonuo’s quick thinking, the Xingyou brothers managed to block the car, but they couldn’t hold the people.

Third Brother lamented: “The child in her womb is almost due. Even if we abort it, it won’t be life-threatening. I think we should just sue. Make Father penniless, and then Mother can leave him.”

Nuonuo intervened decisively: “Can you be more proactive? We only have one photo as evidence now. The baby in her belly is Father’s most obvious evidence of adultery. Don’t talk about assets; Mother won’t let him off the hook, not even his reputation.”

Following this event, the family dynamics completely changed. Lin Nuonuo was no longer the sacrificial lamb but the catalyst for change.

Nuonuo began to embrace her beauty and charisma. She changed her clothes, restyled her hair, and wore the necklace her biological mother had given to the original Nuonuo—the one Qingzhi had tricked her into thinking was trash.

Madam Lin was deeply moved: “Nuonuo, I didn’t realize Lin Nuonuo was so beautiful. Nuonuo, you finally agreed to wear this necklace?”

Nuonuo replied: “I apologize, Mother. It was wrong of me to throw away the necklace before. I actually truly love this gift.”

Lin Qingzhi watched everything with envy and fear, especially when Madam Lin said, “Nothing is more important than my beloved daughter, Nuonuo.”

Qingzhi tried to cause trouble, but all her actions were seen through by Nuonuo and her brothers (who had heard Nuonuo’s inner thoughts).

In a final attempt, Qingzhi deliberately tried to fall, but Nuonuo quickly caught her, only breaking Qingzhi’s precious bracelet.

“Mother, don’t blame my sister. It’s all my fault; I shouldn’t have argued with her,” Qingzhi dramatically acted.

But Nuonuo had a counter-move: “The welcome gift I gave my sister before, she hid it away. I was afraid of worrying Mother, so I didn’t tell you.”

Nuonuo exposed Qingzhi in front of the whole family: the discarded welcome gifts, the book implying Nuonuo was a villain, and how she deliberately caused misunderstandings.

“Don’t talk about apologizing. Tell me to stand on my head and eat dirt, and I will!” Nuonuo challenged.

Qingzhi was cornered and forced to confront Chen Zhiquan (who was now in police custody). Zhiquan, under pressure, inadvertently revealed the truth:

“You treat Lin Nuonuo so well, but she is ungrateful and bullies you every day. You even gave her such expensive welcome gifts. She’s just a country bumpkin picked up off the street. How is she worthy of your kindness?”

She showed her true colors. Usually, she pretends to be a good sister, but behind my back, she badmouths me to her best friend.

Qingzhi had to admit she had spoken ill of Nuonuo but was then pressured to answer the question: “What was in the welcome gift?”

Chen Zhiquan answered: “Clothes. Qingzhi bought very expensive clothes for her.”

Qingzhi couldn’t answer: “Qingzhi bought so many; I can’t remember all of them.”

Nuonuo smiled; victory was hers. She had proven her innocence, exposed Qingzhi’s deceit, and, most importantly, saved the Lin family.

With the ability to hear inner thoughts, Nuonuo had turned the tables, transforming herself from the “sacrificial lamb” into the heroine who protected her loved ones and sought justice.