"Your dad is juicing fruit in the kitchen. Ren Ran, do you have something to ask your dad?"
"No, nothing. Mom, I have a question for you. The Buddhist amulet my aunt gave us, did she give it to you herself?" Ren Ran asked.
Ren Suya thought for a moment, "No. My brother-in-law gave the amulet to your dad. Your dad brought it home."
"Is it the same with the amulets at grandma and grandpa's house?"
"Yes." Ren Suya was puzzled, "What's up?"
"Nothing."
She hung up the phone hurriedly. Standing at the entrance of the high-rise, even though the sun was shining brightly outside, she still felt cold all over, a cold that penetrated her bones, with fine stabbing pains.
Why?
Why would it be him?
Although she had her suspicions about him, she still didn't want to believe that he was the mastermind behind the scenes.
After all, he was her own father.
Even a tiger wouldn't eat its own cubs, yet he had done it.
Ren Ran eliminated the last shred of hope deep in her heart, and her eyes became tranquil, tranquil to the point of being cold.
She would repay this life to him, the one from her previous life.
In this life, he was no longer her father.
Inside the apartment, Qing Xuan poured her a cup of hot tea.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
Qing Xuan probably guessed some of what was going on. Neither said it outright, but they knew in their hearts.
"Qing Xuan, I need you to help me with something."
"Tell me."
"My father has an illegitimate daughter named Kong Lian. The person who switched destinies with me is most likely her. I'd like you to go to the residential district where she lives and help me see if that person is her."
In order to resolve the switched destiny, she had to find both parties involved, as well as the other person's birth details.
"No problem."
Ren Ran took out some money, "I'll have to trouble you these days."
After leaving the apartment, Ren Ran also gave Xu Zhaoyin a list to investigate Ruan Fengru and Kong Lian's birth details.
It was best to prepare a backup plan for everything, there's no harm in being careful.
Having done all this, she finally returned home. When she reached the front door, she stopped in her tracks, took two deep breaths to adjust her mindset, put on a mask, and only then stepped into the house.
Everything in the house was still the same as usual, but upon closer look, there were subtle differences here and there. Yet the three main members of the household still maintained their roles from before.
Everyone was acting before the window paper was pierced.
Kong Liji had already acted flawlessly for over twenty years, fooling everyone.
Her mother was also acting. The day she could no longer keep up the act would be the day she finally removed that man from her heart completely.
She was also acting. Before making full preparations and resolving the biggest trouble on her, she had no choice but to act. She was afraid the other party would go down guns blazing, afraid her mother and grandparents would repeat past mistakes.
A second chance was hard to come by. If she failed again, there might not be a next time.
Therefore, even though she hated them, even though she wanted to swallow them alive, she had to endure.
A good hunter had to endure loneliness.
Her father Kong Liji was a prime example in this aspect. To swallow Yaxing Group whole, he endured humiliation and waited patiently, keeping up the act for over twenty years.
Compared to him, what did she have to complain about?
This was a game.
A game between the hunter and the prey.
Who would end up as the hunter and who the prey would depend on the final winner.
Qinghe Bay, the famously upscale residential district in Haishi.
These past few days, a fortune telling stall appeared at the entrance. At first the security guards would come to drive the fortune teller away, but his skills won them over.
Not only were the security guards convinced, even the property manager was won over and treated the fortune teller like an honored guest.
With the property manager's overt and covert promotion, word spread that a famous fortune teller had arrived in their neighborhood.
Especially when the fortune teller accurately revealed a few rich madams' pasts, his fame exploded in the residential district.
When Ruan Fengru and Kong Lian were returning from shopping, they noticed a crowd gathered in the central courtyard, with occasional exclamations coming from it.
Out of curiosity, the mother and daughter approached.
"What's going on?"
"Little Ruan, you don't know, a master has come to our neighborhood. His fortune telling is spot on. Do you want to get your fortune told?" A kind auntie asked.
As soon as she heard fortune telling, Ruan Fengru instantly lost interest.
Qing Xuan had already noticed them. After dismissing the person whose fortune he was telling, his gaze landed on Ruan Fengru and her daughter.
"I'll pick one last destined person for today."
"Pick me, master."
"Pick me, pick me."
Qing Xuan's eyes locked onto Kong Lian. "Young lady, may I tell your fortune?"
Everyone's eyes fell upon Kong Lian.
Before the mother and daughter could react, enthusiastic aunties had already pushed Kong Lian in front of Qing Xuan.
"The child is overwhelmed with joy."
Seeing her up close, Qing Xuan's eyebrows knitted slightly. There was an indescribable strange feeling about her that seemed familiar.
Suddenly, he thought of Ren Ran.
He had sensed the same aura on Ren Ran, very faint. It would be overlooked if he didn't observe her carefully.
It seemed the person who switched destinies was most likely her.
"Young lady, what is your birth date and time?"
Ruan Fengru had regained her composure. She walked over and held her daughter's hand, smiling gently. "Sir, we don't believe in these things. "
One auntie was puzzled. "Little Ruan, didn't you used to be a firm believer?"
The slap in the face came too fast, like a tornado blowing Ruan Fengru's composure into disarray. Her face darkened for a fleeting moment before she smoothed it over.
"After being tricked too many times, I don't believe anymore." Ruan Fengru explained.
"Oh dear, but you've met the real deal today. This master is incredible, every prediction accurate." The auntie enthusiastically vouched for him.
The surrounding people echoed in agreement, proving her words true.
A flash of impatience appeared deep in Ruan Fengru's eyes, but it didn't show on her face. Her voice was gentle. "Nowadays we just go with the flow, everything is fated, no point forcing it."
The more she resisted, the more it showed something was amiss.
Qing Xuan was already ninety nine percent certain the woman in front of him was the one.
Seeing her insistence, the crowd sighed in regret.
"Master, if she doesn't want it, how about doing me instead?" The resourceful auntie started promoting herself.
Qing Xuan shook his head. "This poor Daoist only tells the fortunes of the destined. Since the destined one is unwilling, we shall stop for today."
Back home, the first thing Ruan Fengru did was warn her daughter.
"Keep your distance from fortune tellers in the future."
"I know, Mom."
"As long as you understand. Better safe than sorry."
Things like switching destinies were extremely rare, but who's to say someone wouldn't see through it.
They had to be careful before the destiny switch was complete.
"I understand."
Kong Lian naturally understood her mother's painstaking intentions.
Ever since she found out her awful destiny at the age of ten, her mother had visited masters and experts everywhere, searching tirelessly before finally finding a true master, and getting the opportunity to switch destinies.
