22. The Heart of an Innocent (2nd Update)

When the team leader received the call from the police station, for a brief moment, he thought it was a scam. It wasn’t until he heard Yun Ran’s voice on the other end that he realized something had gone wrong.

After giving instructions to the others, he quietly left the main group, taking two security personnel sent by the school with him. They quickly arrived at the nearby police station.

Yun Ran was sitting on a bench, snacking and swinging her legs, showing no sign of being held hostage or nearly losing her life.

“Hello, officer. I’m Song Qi, a teacher from Xinghua School. This is Yun Ran?”

Upon learning that Yun Ran had indeed been taken hostage, Song Qi’s tension eased somewhat.

As for the identity of the captured individual and his fate, Song Qi paid no attention.

After signing some documents, Song Qi took Yun Ran away, avoiding the two security guards. Curiously, he asked, “You didn’t let the police know about your abilities?”

“I’m afraid of getting involved in trouble,” she replied.

If the person was just an ordinary fugitive, dealing with him would be straightforward; but since he bore a marked symbol, Yun Ran preferred to keep clear of the mess.

Just as they left, officials from the regulatory bureau arrived, staring in shock at the still-living Zheng Qiang.

“Someone marked for death still has a survivor?”

The bureau immediately heightened security, secretly taking Zheng Qiang away. Even the police officers involved in his capture were called in to assist with the investigation.

Back at General’s Mountain, Yun Ran faced the prospect of climbing the mountain once more, feeling a bit exasperated.

At that moment, a small bird with its tail feathers completely plucked fell right in front of her. She suddenly recalled sending a little paper doll to chase after the bird earlier.

“What’s this?”

“Just karma for careless deeds!”

Some coincidences are just that, but seeing this happen right before Yun Ran’s eyes, Song Qi no longer believed in mere chance—and wisely chose not to ask any questions.

The bird no longer acted arrogantly as it had when it had defecated in front of Yun Ran. With half its rear exposed, it seemed utterly humiliated.

Bound by the threat of the paper doll, the bird dared not misbehave and, covering its face, retreated. Seeing that the doll did not pursue it further, it spread its wings and flew away.

The bird’s pitiful state instantly eased Yun Ran’s anger; she had no complaints about climbing the mountain again.

When they reached the mountainside, those who had arrived by sedan chair were leisurely eating and drinking, while the ones who had climbed up were sprawled in the resting area, unwilling to move.

“Hey, why are you only just getting here?”

Looking at the chubby boy who showed no signs of hardship, Yun Ran thought, if it weren’t for his genuinely sincere expression, she might have suspected he was mocking her.

“I’m slow,” he said.

Perhaps Yun Ran’s indifferent expression made the boy embarrassed to make small talk.

He braced himself and revealed his true purpose: “Can you really only do three divinations a day?”

Yun Ran finally looked up and met his gaze. “So you’re trying to get special treatment. If you want a reading, just know—even if you’re a classmate, it’s not free. No discounts either!”

The boy was taken aback.

Did she think he was poor?

He sat down and said, “How much?”

“Two thousand per reading. If you want methods to break curses, that costs extra.”

Though Yun Ran seemed a bit money-hungry, the boy wasn’t put off. The price was hers to set; the choice was his to make.

Lowering his voice, he said, “I want a reading for my eldest sister. You’ve probably heard about her troubles before.”

Yun Ran searched her memory. Although the Zhu family didn’t do much business with the Yun family, they moved in the same circles and were of similar wealth, so the Zhu family was often mentioned among the Yun family’s conversations. She had indeed heard some stories.

The chubby boy, Zhu Shijia’s elder sister, Zhu Xuejun, was a well-regarded young lady in their social circle.

The Zhu family did not hold traditional views favoring sons over daughters, nor was there a rule that only sons could inherit the family business.

When Zhu Xuejun graduated, the family entrusted her with managing one of their large restaurants.

Everything was going smoothly until a year ago, when Zhu Xuejun suddenly seemed bewitched.

She fell in love with a man in his thirties who had a record of divorce, domestic violence, infidelity, alcoholism, and gambling.

This man, a paragon of vices, would be despised by any normal woman; yet the carefully raised Zhu family’s eldest daughter was hopelessly infatuated.

She not only gave him cars and houses but also took care of his entire family, burdening herself with a brood of leeches and throwing the Zhu family’s main household into chaos.

The Zhu family suspected that Zhu Xuejun had been sabotaged and consulted many masters, but nothing unusual was found.

In desperation, before things turned into a bigger scandal, they sent their eldest daughter away.

In their social circle, rumors spread that Zhu Xuejun was love-struck and naïve, once a bookworm who had never met a man properly. Though capable, she had fallen into a deep pit because of a man.

Don’t think the wives and daughters of the wealthy have much decency; Yun Ran had heard even worse things.

Of course, she was one of those who had been gossiped about.

“My eldest sister wasn’t like this before. Although my uncle hired people to check, saying she wasn’t sabotaged, I still feel something’s wrong. Please help me read her fortune.”

As Zhu Shijia’s cousin and a contender for the Zhu family’s inheritance, the downfall of the eldest daughter would not harm him.

Unexpectedly, the chubby boy came to seek Yun Ran’s help, showing he truly cared.

“All right, I’ll help you. Show me her photos before and after the change.”

The boy was surprised by how approachable Yun Ran was, quite different from the rumors he’d heard.

Thinking of his sister’s plight, he realized rumors couldn’t be trusted.

He quickly took out his phone and showed Yun Ran the pictures.

The first photo was of Zhu Xuejun before, her sharp features softened by a hint of gentleness.

This was clearly a strong, independent person with a kind heart, born into privilege, likely successful in career and happy in family.

But when Yun Ran saw the second photo, her eyes grew cold. If these two pictures hadn’t come from the boy, she wouldn’t have believed these nearly identical faces—yet with utterly opposite expressions—could belong to the same person.

Children born into wealthy families might be naïve, but they still had discernment.

At least, from Yun Ran’s shifting expression, the boy realized that his greatest fears had indeed come true.