After leaving the villa, Song Mei wasted no time. She called her best friend, Chu Shaojia, her voice calm but edged with frustration.
"Shao, I need your help," she said softly. "The Song family… they've taken back the villa. My financial support has been cut. They're considering… disowning me."
Chu Shaojia's voice cracked slightly, a mix of concern and anger. "Meimei! Come to my place immediately. We'll figure this out. You're not facing this alone."
The Song Mansion was unusually quiet that morning. The air was thick with unease, the kind that always followed disgrace. The maids, the bodyguards, even the household staff, were silently aware of the storm about to erupt.
In the grand living room, the entire family was gathered—Song Weilin (Grandfather) seated at the head, his expression carved in granite; (mrs.Song) Li Huifen sat stiffly beside him, her hands trembling slightly in her lap; and Song Jianhong(mr.song), the cold businessman, flipped through some documents as if they could distract him from the storm in the room.
Song Ning stood quietly in a corner, her face pale. Song Lei and Song Feng occupied the couch, exchanging uncertain glances.
"Since she wants to cut ties," Song Jianhong said at last, voice hard, "let her see what it means to live without us. I have Freezed all her accounts. Pulled back the villa. She can't keep enjoying the family's luxuries while pretending she's independent."
Li Huifen hesitated. "But… she's still young. If she—"
Song Weilin slammed his cane against the marble floor. The sharp sound silenced her instantly.
"She made her choice!" he thundered. "Let her live with it. That girl has forgotten her place. A few nights on the streets might remind her where she comes from."
Song Lei smirked. "Grandfather's right. She's always been ungrateful. Maybe this will teach her."
Song Ning flinched at the harshness of his words, but said nothing. Deep down, she felt an ache she didn't understand.
At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps drew their attention. Song Yuncheng, the eldest son and rightful heir, entered the room. His face was unreadable, his demeanor calm, but his presence commanded immediate silence.
He placed a tablet on the table and said flatly, "Before you all celebrate your 'punishment,' perhaps you should see this."
He pressed play.
On the screen appeared Song Mei, standing at the gates of her former villa. The bodyguards blocked her path as she tried to enter. The neighbors watched from afar, whispering.
When the guards informed her that the property had been reclaimed and her financial access revoked, the girl didn't scream, didn't cry.
Instead—she laughed.
It was a sound that chilled everyone watching. A sharp, broken laugh that carried both despair and defiance.
The camera captured her slender frame trembling with contained rage as she said, voice cutting through the air:
"You took everything. I will survive. Will you be Taking it again—I'll still stand."
Then, with measured grace, she picked up her belongings, turned her back on the villa, and walked away.
Silence engulfed the room when the video ended.
Li Huifen covered her mouth, tears glimmering in her eyes. Even Song Feng looked unsettled.
Song Weilin's grip on his cane tightened. "Who filmed this?"
"One of the neighbors," Yuncheng replied, voice even. "And it's already started circulating online. I've managed to suppress it before it hit the news sites, but it's a matter of time before someone leaks it again."
Song Jianhong's expression darkened. "You should have contained it earlier."
Yuncheng looked up, his eyes cool. "I was on a business trip, Father. Unlike some people here, I don't have the luxury of reacting emotionally."
The room went quiet again.
Song Lei frowned. "So what now? We can't let her tarnish the family name. Should we—"
Yuncheng cut him off. "We'll do nothing rash. For now, we let her believe she's truly on her own. The media has been silenced. If she fails, the world will forget her. If she succeeds…" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Then we'll decide how to use her."
Song Weilin leaned back, tapping the floor with his cane. "You think she'll make something of herself without us? Hmph. She's a fool. All habits incurred from that damn village like a country bumpkin"
Li Huifen flinched but said nothing.
Song Ning, voice trembling, finally spoke. "Big Brother, do you really think she'll come back?"
Yuncheng gave her a long look but with the kind eyes if song ning is a treasure "No. But people like her don't fade quietly. Keep your distance from her, Ning. If she stirs trouble, I'll handle it."
Later that evening, the city lights shimmered against the skyline as Song Mei walked toward Chu Shaojia's apartment. Her arms ached from carrying the few bags the maids had packed before throwing her out.
Shaojia opened the door in shock. "Meimei! What happened?!"
Song Mei's lips curved slightly—not quite a smile. "The family decided I should learn independence."
Shaojia's face paled. "They kicked you out?"
"You could say that," Mei replied lightly, stepping inside. "At least I'm free to breathe."
Shaojia hurried to take her bags. "You can stay here as long as you want. Don't even think about paying rent. We'll figure things out."
"Thank you," Mei murmured. "But I won't be a burden for long."
After eating the dinner Chu Shaojia returns to her room to sleep but song mei sat by the window that night, sketchbook open, pen gliding across paper. Her designs were sharper now—no longer about beauty, but defiance.
The city pulsed below her, alive with opportunity.
Her phone buzzed.
Wei Corporation – Design Department:
"Miss Song Mei, your portfolio has been approved for initial evaluation. You will be contacted soon for further discussion."
Song Mei's lips curved into a real smile this time.
"They think cutting me off will break me," she whispered. "But it's only freed me."
Meanwhile, back at the Song Mansion, the family's mood had lightened somewhat after Yuncheng's assurance that the news had been contained.
Song Ning timidly asked, "Where are Second Brother and Cousin Zhiyu?"
"Overseeing the new branch in Linhai," Yuncheng answered. "They'll return next month for Grandfather's birthday."
A rare smile flickered across Song Weilin's face. "Good. At least someone in this family is doing something useful."
Song Jianhong nodded, his tone calm again. "Let's forget about Mei for now. We have bigger concerns."
Yuncheng said nothing. His gaze lingered on the flickering screen of his tablet—paused on the image of Song Mei walking away from the villa.
His thoughts were unreadable.
That same night, Song Mei stood on the balcony of Shaojia's apartment, the cool wind brushing her hair.
Below, the world continued as if nothing had changed—but for her, everything had.
No wealth. No family. No safety net.
Only herself.
But that, she thought with a faint smirk, was enough.
"This time," she whispered to the stars,
"I'll rise without them—and make sure they can never touch me again."