Candy was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, editing photos. When she saw me come in, she looked up with a smile: "Sis, you're back."
"Don't even ask," I rubbed my temples, "Today was just the worst. I went out for a walk and got caught by Fang Yichen. Now I have to go to work tomorrow."
Candy paused her work, frowning. "Mr. Fang is really overstepping, isn't he? You can't even go for a walk now?"
I gave an awkward laugh but didn't explain the real reason. How could I say the boss blew up because he saw me with a man? That would sound just like…
My phone buzzed suddenly, cutting off my thoughts. The screen displayed the word "Mom"—this was the original owner's mother.
I tapped open WeChat, and a short message popped up:"Sweetie, you haven't sent this month's living expenses yet. Mom's going through a bit of a tight spot."
I stared at that affectionate term of address, my throat suddenly tightening. In my past life, after my mother passed away from illness, I had fantasized countless times about receiving just one more message from her.
My fingers moved faster than my brain. I immediately transferred 10,000 yuan, adding a note:"Buy yourself something nice to eat, Mom."
The transfer was accepted instantly. The "typing…" status lingered for a while before a bright smiley face came through:
"You're so generous today! Thanks, sweetie!"
I traced my fingers over the phone screen, only then realizing my eyes had grown wet. After a moment of hesitation, I slowly typed:
"I miss you."
Almost instantly, the reply came:"Mom misses her precious daughter too! How about I come visit you next week?"
"Sure," I replied reflexively. At this moment, I had no idea what this "mother" looked like, what her personality was like, or what her relationship with the original owner had been.
Putting down my phone, I turned to Candy. "My mom said she's coming to see me next week."
Candy's hands, which had been editing photos, suddenly stilled. A flicker of unease crossed her face. "She… why is she coming all of a sudden?"
"I just sent her some money, and she seemed happy about it." I studied Candy's expression. "What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
Candy hesitated, then shook her head. "It's nothing… it just feels a bit sudden." She lowered her head and went back to editing, but I noticed her fingers trembling slightly.
Something was off. I opened my phone's photo album, quickly scrolling for any pictures of the original owner with her mother. Strangely, there weren't any. Even the chat history had been deleted.
"Candy," I asked softly, "how was my relationship with my mom?"
Candy's head snapped up, her eyes full of shock. "You… you don't remember?"
"I…" I faltered, making up an excuse on the spot about how after the fall, many things had become hazy.
Candy sighed. "You have been a bit confused since the accident." She set her laptop aside and moved to sit beside me. "Actually, your mom… she's always treated you like an ATM."
My heart clenched. "What do you mean?"
"Ever since you started earning money, she's been demanding funds from you every month—sometimes tens of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands." Candy bit her lip. "Last time you got drunk, I found out it was because she'd been verbally abusing you when you refused to give her money…"
My phone buzzed again. Another message from "Mom":"Oh, sweetie, your brother's kid wants a new phone. The child just moved up to a new grade, so you know…"
I didn't reply, silently locking the screen. Candy looked at me worriedly. "Are you okay? Maybe you shouldn't see her?"
"No." I forced a smile. "I actually… want to meet her."
This was half-true. I did want to meet this "mother," but not for familial warmth—I needed to understand what kind of family environment the original owner had lived in. After all, from now on, this was my past.
Candy seemed to want to say more but ultimately just hugged me gently. "Don't bottle everything up like you used to. No matter what happens, I'm here."
Late at night, I stood alone on the balcony, gazing at the city lights in the distance. Since my rebirth, I'd been so focused on my own affairs that I'd neglected the original owner's personal relationships.
Nan Zhi, what kind of life did you really live? Did you jump because of your mother?
The night breeze brushed against my cheeks, carrying the unique warmth of early summer. I took a deep breath and made a decision—before dealing with Lin Xuyan and Zhou Yuqing, I needed to handle this sudden "family crisis."
After all, in this life, I had been reborn in Nan Zhi's body. She deserved justice too.
This time, I wouldn't be a powerless victim anymore.