The open door concealed the man outside the corner of the mansion's wall.
At the sound of voices, he turned his head and found the source. He didn't see who spoke, blocked by the door, but near it was a young woman who had just stepped out of the car.
As if sensing his gaze, she glanced back.
Their eyes met briefly.
Then she turned and slipped inside the mansion, as if treating the words aimed at her as nothing despite their harsh bite.
A few moments later, a man clad in a dark blue suit rounded the corner and stood beside him with his head lowered.
"Have you found him?" the man standing in front of the wall asked.
The man in the blue suit hesitated, a fearful look appeared on his face, before he said, "No, sir. We're still looking for him."
The man's gaze fell to the trees across, wind bending the thin branches and leaves.
"The place isn't that big. But my son shouldn't be that hard to find, right?"
"Yes, sir!" the man dared not say otherwise.
Who knew where the young master of the powerful Lu family would be? But if no one finds him soon and ensures his safety, their heads would be the next to fall!
…
Shen Anran did not respond to the scathing remark the woman said. She took her little things inside the car and walked inside, leaving the woman staring at her back.
After four years of being stuck at the mental hospital, the house she had lived in since she was young had changed so much.
There were still a few little things that remained, but they were easily ignored and hidden in some corners of the house.
The backdoor was as she remembered, only that there were more servants passing by. It was obvious that they hired a lot of people since she had left the house.
Shen Anran couldn't wait to return to her bedroom. She hadn't been sleeping well these past four years, and she hoped being in a familiar place would make her sleep more pleasantly.
However, before she could step out of there, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm.
The hand was tightly enclosed around her, the tips of the nails digging slightly into her pale skin.
"Where are you going?"
A woman in a housekeeper's uniform was standing behind her.
Shen Anran stared at her and answered, "I'm going to the second floor."
"Are you out of your mind? Today is Miss Yulan's wedding afterparty. If you go out, are you trying to humiliate her?" The housekeeper pulled Shen Anran back, but for some reason, the latter remained in her spot.
Shen Anran knew the housekeeper had misunderstood her. After all, only servants and housekeepers would use the backdoor entrance. So, it was obvious she was mistaken for one as well. But was it really that necessary to grab her without even knowing the truth?
Shen Anran didn't want to bother explaining herself to someone she had just met for the first time. Her need to sleep was urgent.
Pulling the hand away from her, Shen Anran said, "Don't worry. You can ask the woman by the entrance whether I'm a servant or not. And if you're afraid of me humiliating Yulan, then you don't have to be."
"The world doesn't always revolve around her. And I naturally won't cause any trouble on the first day I return."
After saying this, Shen Anran really couldn't care less about the woman trying to grab and chase after her. She walked into the main house and instantly noticed a jarring difference.
In the back, the silence and hushed rustles of servants fleeting through to do their work were filled with tension and pressure. But once she came out, the loud noise of people discussing, orchestral music echoing, and the clinking of tableware filled her ears. Pleasant and harmonious.
"Let us all welcome the newlyweds to the stage!"
She heard someone speak through the microphone. Hearing the words being said, Shen Anran's wish to sleep settled down, and her curiosity to look at the two people who ruined her life won.
Soon, she found herself standing by the curved entryway with everyone's back towards her. No one saw her as their attention was solely focused on the couple stepping onto the stage. Soon, a round of soft clapping resounded as they welcomed the newlyweds.
On the stage, beneath the golden lights, a stunning woman in a long white gown stood gracefully at the center. Her short hair framed her fair, delicate features, giving her an air of effortless elegance and lovely appearance. Beside her stood a handsome man wearing a white double-breasted suit with a black inner shirt.
They stood so close that their shoulders brushed each other. Their eyes curved as they smiled at the people present, not shying away from showing how affectionate they were with each other.
It was Shen Yulan and Han Beichen.
They looked the same as four years ago, only slightly older than Shen Anran remembered.
The two of them had finally got married… Shen Anran smiled mockingly as she couldn't help but find Shen Yulan's thoughts truly petty and unreasonable.
She knew Shen Anran was going to be discharged today. Yet, she couldn't help but want to flaunt, so she arranged their wedding on the same day.
'Shen Yulan, aren't you ashamed?' Shen Anran thought that it was fortunate her sister did not change, or it would've been troublesome for her.
Finding the sight of them an eyesore, Shen Anran was about to leave, but she noticed Shen Yulan's gaze meeting her own.
Suddenly, Shen Anran wanted to give her a scare.
Waving her hand, Shen Anran gave her sister a big, sweet smile. Then, her lips mouthed a few words soundlessly.
'Yulan, I have returned.'
Shen Yulan's radiant smile faltered instantly as she saw her.
Before she could compose herself and understand what had been said to her, Shen Anran had already turned away, disappearing quietly like an illusion.
A subtle stiffness crept into her posture.
Han Beichen had been saying a couple of affectionate words to her in front of everybody. When he did not get a response and saw Shen Yulan being dazed, he followed her line of sight and found the hall entrance empty.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly, scanning her face.
"It's nothing," her smile returning with practiced ease.
But her fingers tightened around his arm as she looked up at him with a warm and affectionate gaze.
'Shen Anran, don't you dare think I'm done with you!'