Xia Lan looked at her mother, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Is this… the feeling of love?
She placed a hand lightly on her chest.
I thought I lost this feeling the moment I killed my first target… cold, numb, dead inside. But this... this is warm.
Just as she closed her eyes, a voice echoed in her mind—sharp, sorrowful, and haunting.
"You're a murderer. You don't deserve happiness... I curse you... sob… sob…"
Her eyes snapped open. Her breath caught. She stared at her trembling hands, the phantom sensation of blood still clinging to them.
That dream again... why now?
Her gaze drifted to her mother, Luo Anam, who was humming softly as she sliced fruit in the sunlit kitchen. Beside her, her father, Shen Lin, silently handed over a fruit plate, his expression as cold and distant as always.
And yet, Xia Lan smiled.
So this is what peace feels like. For once... I don't need to watch my back. No knives, no lies, no missions. Just... home.
But the calm shattered in an instant.
Luo Anam's expression shifted. Her eyes drifted behind Xia Lan, the warmth draining from her face. Her fingers curled unconsciously around her dress.
Xia Lan noticed the change immediately and turned.
From the grand staircase, Shen Wu and Shen Li were descending together.
Shen Wu's gaze met hers—and twisted into open disgust. Shen Li, ever the picture of innocence, simply smiled.
Xia Lan didn't flinch. She glanced at them once… and looked away as if they weren't even worth her attention.
Shen Lin said nothing, but his gaze landed on his wife's saddened expression. The air around him chilled.
He turned to Shen Wu, and his voice, though unspoken, was thunderous. His stare made Shen Wu visibly flinch.
Hmm, Xia Lan thought, tilting her head. So this father does care about Mom after all. At least he's not one of those heartless rich men.
More footsteps echoed down the stairs. This time, Shen Wei, followed by Shen Xing and Shen Ming, entered the room.
Shen Wei didn't even glance at Xia Lan—she walked straight over and sat beside her.
But when her eyes fell on Shen Wu, her expression sharpened.
Meanwhile, Luo Anam's cheer returned as she eagerly introduced everyone.
"This is my eldest, Shen Wei—the CEO of Shen Corporation."
Then she gestured to a calm, refined man. "Shen Xing, my second son. He built Shen Entertainment from scratch."
Shen Xing nodded politely.
"And that's Shen Ming—my youngest. A lawyer."
Then she leaned in to whisper to Xia Lan, her voice mischievous. "Although... I think he's got a secret job. Lin and the boys never tell me anything."
Shen Ming raised an eyebrow and facepalmed lightly. "Mom, I'm right here."
Xia Lan chuckled softly.
A secret job? With the ex-soldier bodyguards patrolling outside? Interesting.
Just as Luo Anam turned toward Shen Wu to introduce him, he abruptly cut her off.
"I've said this already," Shen Wu snapped coldly. "I can't accept this girl as my sister."
The room froze.
Xia Lan turned toward him with a calm, detached look.
"You don't have to," she said, her voice like ice. "I don't accept bastards as brothers either."
"You—what did you just say?!" Shen Wu exploded, striding toward her. "How dare you speak to me like that!"
He raised his hand to strike.
But he never got the chance.
Xia Lan moved like a ghost—silent, precise, deadly. She grabbed him by the throat, lifted him off the floor with one hand, and slammed him backward across the room with a sharp kick.
He hit the ground with a sickening thud, coughing violently.
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
Shen Xing's brows twitched. Shen Ming's mouth opened slightly. Shen Wei didn't blink, but her lips curved in satisfaction.
Shen Lin's cold voice rang out, furious:
"GUARDS! Throw that disgrace out. He can come back when he learns how to behave like a human."
Bodyguards appeared instantly, dragging the still-dazed Shen Wu out by his arms.
Shen Wei turned to her mother, voice steely. "I've told you before—stop coddling him. He's a grown man, not a toddler."
Without waiting for a response, she left the room, heels clicking against the marble floor.
Luo Anam stood frozen. Her hands trembled. For a brief moment, her warm smile disappeared—replaced by years of silent pain and heartbreak.
Shen Lin immediately reached out and held her hand, his voice low and steady."Don't worry. I'm here."
Xia Lan stepped forward slowly.
For once, her voice softened."...Mom, are you okay?"
Luo Anam's eyes widened slightly at the word.
And then, tears spilled over. She pulled Xia Lan into a tight hug, trembling."My daughter... you called me Mom…"
Behind them, Shen Lin let out a breath and smiled faintly.
Xia Lan looked up at her mother with a small grin. "Mom, I'm heading out now."
The smile on Luo Anam's face vanished in an instant.
"Going? You just got home! Can't you stay longer? This is your home now!"
Xia Lan gently took her hand and squeezed it. "It's just for the idol program. I'm still a trainee, Once it's over, I'll come back. I promise."
Luo Anam's eyes filled again. "You… promise?"
Xia Lan nodded. "Yeah. I promise."