Chapter Two: The Young Master of the Jiang Family

Sister Shi looked up once more at the handsome, elegant figure of the young man by the lotus pond.

The Jiang family was one of the most prominent and distinguished noble houses in the region. However, they were not prolific; for seven consecutive generations, they had relied on a single male heir to carry on the family line. Furthermore, their lifestyle was so discreet and rigorous that they were always shrouded in an air of mystery to outsiders.

Jiang Haoen was the seventh in this line of single heirs. He had been anticipated by the Jiang family as if they were waiting for the stars and the moon. When he finally arrived, he was held in the palms of their hands, cherished with such intensity that they feared he might break if held too tightly or melt if kept in their mouths.

Yet, because he suffered from mild autism, he was raised almost entirely within the confines of the Jiang estate, barely stepping foot outside until he turned fifteen, when he finally began to attend school. Even then, he was escorted by dedicated drivers and bodyguards and accompanied by a private study companion, his life protected with impenetrable precision.

There were also rumors that Jiang Haoen was not born to Madame Jiang, but was instead an illegitimate son of Mr. Jiang. These, however, were merely whispers in the dark, never verified.

Sister Shi had no interest in such gossip. She was introverted, low-key, and dutiful, focusing strictly on her own tasks without unnecessary chatter. This was precisely why the Jiang family had chosen her in the first place. Nevertheless, whenever she saw Jiang Haoen, she could not help but feel a pang of pity for the boy. Despite the pampered life he led, he lacked basic interaction with people and society, living entirely within his own secluded world.

After that incident, Shi Zhaodi rarely went to play on that side of the estate; perhaps that fall had left a deep impression on her memory.

When Shi Zhaodi was seven, her mother asked the Jiang family for help to send her to a full-time boarding elementary school, allowing her to come home only on weekends. Zhaodi was a sensible child who studied diligently and never caused her mother any trouble.

In the blink of an eye, she turned ten. She loved sports and excelled at running and ball games. That summer, the lotus pond was filled with blooming lotuses, dazzling and beautiful under the sun. Shi Zhaodi was playing with her ball by the edge of the pond.

Jiang Haoen was the only member of the Jiang family close to her age, though he was still several years her senior. Her mother had strictly cautioned her never to disturb the young master. Combined with the trauma of him pushing her in the past, which had cast a shadow over her young heart, she did her best to stay out of his way.

Just then, her ball took a sudden bounce and tumbled into the lotus pond.

In her haste, Shi Zhaodi bent over the edge of the pond, trying to retrieve the ball, but her foot slipped. She plunged headlong into the water.

In truth, the lotus pond was not deep; if she had stood up, the water would not have reached her neck. But at that moment, perhaps from sheer fright or perhaps from choking on the water, she did not even have time to call for help before she began to thrash about.

As the water kept rushing into her mouth, Zhaodi began to struggle for breath, and her vision started to blur into a vast, white haze.

"Mom... Mom..."