Lin Xu was in a car accident.
A large truck ran a red light and collided with her sedan, causing it to overturn.
Steel pipes from the truck fell off, piercing through her body. Before the pain could even spread throughout her body, she lost consciousness.
Numerous images flooded her mind, and Lin Xu realized that she was in a novel world; both her sons were villains in the story, and her daughter was a disposable supporting character.
After she and her husband died, the three children were left to fend for themselves. With no one to guide them, the sons grew more twisted. One became a pervert who liked to imprison the novelâs female protagonist and play dark room games, and the other was a villain who would nonchalantly draw blood from substitutes, harvesting their kidneys for the female protagonist, his moonlight.
The only daughter, lacking affection in her childhood, grew up love-struck, revolving her life around the male protagonist and setting up traps for the female protagonist.
Because they opposed the leads of the novel, it wasnât long before the villainous sons were caught and spent their lives in prison. The disposable daughter was manipulated by the male lead, losing the family business and ultimately falling off a cliff in a state of despair.
âBe careful!â
Lin Xu suddenly sat up, gasping for air, her chest heaving violently.
The image of her daughter falling from the cliff was still in her mind. She patted her chest, unsettled, and then noticed the gaping hole the steel pipe had left in her chest during the accident was gone. In fact, all her other wounds had also disappeared.
Lin Xu was stunned. Before she could make sense of what was happening, she heard a loud shout near her.
âJi Tingyang, I donât like you, let me go.â
The manâs clear voice was tinged with anger, âIâm telling you, impossible! Butler, take her back to her room!â
Lin Xu followed the voice into the room and saw a man throwing things on the floor, all the cups and dishes swept off the surfaces and shattered into pieces.
She tentatively called out a name, âJi Tingyang?â
Ji Tingyang turned around, his brows furrowed in displeasure, âWho are you, and what are you doing here?â
Those familiar eyes and face made Lin Xuâs heart tremble, âIâm your mother.â
âSay that again?!â Ji Tingyangâs eyes were ice cold, his clear voice suppressing anger.
Lin Xu stood her ground, responding, âI said, Iâm your mother.â
Ji Tingyang radiated a chilling aura, his frosty eyes piercing her like knives, âYou dare to joke about my mother, are you seeking death!â
His mother had died twenty years ago, and even if she had been alive, she would be in her forties or fifties by now, but this woman looked to be in her twenties at most.
âIâm not joking, Iâm serious. When you were five, you still wet the bed; at six, you liked Ultraman; at seven, you still enjoyed drinking milk,â Lin Xu revealed details about Ji Tingyang as if she were reciting treasures.
Ji Tingyangâs forehead vein bulged, his teeth clenched in anger, âYouâve had someone investigate me.â
âThereâs no need for an investigation, Iâve told you Iâm your mother,â Lin Xu was also frustrated, why was this child so obstinate? He had been so cute as a child, believing everything she said.
Lin Xu thought for a moment, then whispered, âYou have a red mole on your buttock, surely you can acknowledge that?â
Ji Tingyangâs expression grew even colder. He stepped forward, gripping her wrist tightly, causing her pain, âIs there someone else from your side in this house? Who is it, speak!â
âHow can you be so stubborn, I already told you Iâm Lin Xu, your mother! After the car accident, when I woke up, I found myself here, completely confused. Iâm trying to talk to you, and you wonât listen,â Lin Xu, infuriated, took to hitting him, raising her hand to slap his shoulder as she scolded him.
The familiar tone and slap of anger made Ji Tingyang pause for a moment. He remembered, over twenty years ago when he cut his motherâs dress, she had slapped him just like this when she was angry.
Could she really be his mother?
âIf you still donât believe me, then letâs do a paternity test,â Lin Xu suggested wearily, proposing the most effective solution without further covert signals.
Ji Tingyang had intended to throw her out of the Ji Family, but her face, so similar to her motherâs, along with her actions and demeanor, made him hesitate for a moment.
In the end, he called a doctor to draw blood for testing, but the results wouldnât be available until the next day.
âYouâ¦â Ji Tingyang glanced at Lin Xu and, for a moment, didnât know what to do with her.
Lin Xu didnât mind his awkwardness and asked, âWhere are my brother and sister? Why havenât I seen them?â
Ji Tingyang frowned, âYou want to find out where they are? Let me tell you, thereâs noâ¦â
Before he could finish, Lin Xu slapped him again.
Ji Tingyang felt a surge of frustration rise in his chest, and he turned to glare fiercely at Lin Xu, about to let loose a curse but held it back upon seeing that familiar cheek, begrudgingly answering, âThey donât come home often; they donât live here.â
When the test results come back, if this woman has deceived him, he would surely make her regret it.
Lin Xuâs slender brows furrowed, a hint of barely perceptible sadness in her expression, âDo you not get along well?â
Otherwise, why wouldnât the siblings live together?
Ji Tingyang paused, then fell silent.
Lin Xu wanted to ask more about them, but seeing Ji Tingyangâs unhappy face, she swallowed her doubts.
Forget it, sheâd ask another time.
âIs my old room still available? Where will I sleep tonight?â Lin Xu looked around, the house hadnât changed much, most of it still the way it used to be.
âSleep in the guest room,â Ji Tingyang said coldly.
Lin Xuâs lips parted, about to speak, but then she met his uncompromising gaze, âAlright.â
Ji Tingyang was still wary of her and it made sense to not allow her to stay in the master bedroom.
Lin Xu had received an overload of information today, leaving her head spinning. She told Ji Tingyang goodnight, went upstairs, chose a guest room she knew, and went to rest.
She slept soundly through the night.
Lin Xu woke up the next morning to the strange yet familiar surroundings of the house and realized she had truly been reborn.
It took her a while to catch her breath and slowly accept this fact. As she opened the door to get something to eat, she saw Ji Tingyang standing in front of her room.
He held an A4 paper in his hand, staring at its contents with an expression of disbelief written all over his pupils.
Lin Xuâs thoughts raced as she looked at the paper, âAre the paternity results out?â
Ji Tingyang looked up, his expression complex as he responded.
Seeing him like this, there was no need to ask what the results were.
As Lin Xu contemplated whether to offer him a long-awaited mother-son hug, the room at the end of the hallway erupted with the sound of objects being smashed.
The nanny rushed out of the room, startled to see Ji Tingyang in the hallway, and hesitantly approached to say, âYoung Master, Lady Wen has thrown out all the breakfast.â
Lin Xuâs eyelid twitched as she remembered the novelâs protagonist who was locked in the dark room.