Detachment.
It’s a very peculiar word.
And this feeling would often surface in the depths of her heart.
Ever since Mother passed away, she had been unable to get along with others at school.
She felt that the way they looked at her was always strange, though she couldn’t quite identify what kind of look it was—she only knew it made her uncomfortable all over.
Even her once-close friends became distant, and it was all because, one night, she suddenly realized that something this friend had said in the past had offended her.
She felt she had been deceived and made a fool of for so long, so she deliberately began to distance herself from that person.
Father felt that the environment in Germany was unsuitable for her to grow up in, so he decided to bring her back to their homeland.
After a lawsuit with Vayero, Father finally managed to bring her back to that faraway Oriental Homeland—her distant birthplace.
In the first few years, she was still repeatedly advised to withdraw from schools due to her psychological issues.
Father took her from one International Academy or Elite School to another, and gradually, she came to understand his hardships.
In the past, she hated Father because Mother would always talk about how she met him during those lonely nights, while all Father ever gave in return was a cold call.
She felt it was unfair to Mother.
As Mother’s illness grew worse, Father’s calls became fewer and fewer, and until the moment she died, Mother was still talking about Father’s childhood stories.
She loved him so deeply—that red-haired, valiant Mother—who ended up a slave to love.
And all she got in return was such a tragic ending.
Qiao Yunxue seemed to understand at last; she decided to become a person who sealed away her feelings and locked up her love, selfish and self-serving.
That way, no one would have the chance to hurt her again.
Now, as she grew older, she gradually began to understand the helplessness of adult men.
Her defenses slowly loosened, and she decided to give herself—and Father—a chance to reconcile.
One morning, without telling anyone, she set off to find Father with a gift, hoping to surprise him.
After a series of dramatic, opera-like adventures, she finally found him.
But the ending was not as perfect as in an opera; instead, it was full of the harshness of reality.
Her father, Qiao Enshi, was walking through a mall holding hands with another woman, and carrying another child in his arms.
He was smiling so brightly, so radiantly—a smile she had never seen on his face before.
When he was with her, Qiao Enshi was always anxious and furrow-browed.
After Mother passed away, he started a new family and had another child.
Isn’t that just how things are supposed to be? Isn’t it normal? Was she supposed to expect him to remain single for life, like some romantic love story?
Was she supposed to expect him to pin all his hopes on a daughter with severe psychological problems?
Qiao Yunxue always thought she was special, always imagined herself as a fated heroine blessed with a mission from above, but only today did she awaken to the truth: she was just a burden to her father, a rat skulking in the gutter.
She saw her young, half-brother laughing so innocently and brightly—a smile she herself could never display, sunlight a rat in the gutter could never touch.
How happy that family looked—such happiness was what her lovesick Mother had longed for all her life.
In the end, it was all so simple.
She tossed her gift into the trash can, turned, and left in silence, her twisted and obsessive thoughts growing firmer than ever: she had to find the strange and see Mother again.
Because only Mother could understand her pain, only Mother could give her warmth and support, only Mother… only Mother…
Tears wouldn’t stop flowing.
She clearly didn’t want to cry, so why do people shed tears?
In the years that followed, her psychological problems grew worse—by some measure, there was almost no difference between her and someone antisocial.
Father became more and more disappointed in her, and in the end, they barely saw each other.
This was exactly what Qiao Yunxue wanted.
She didn’t lack money; she had the vast, immeasurable fortune of the Campbell Family.
She had no need to rely on Qiao Enshi to live on this land.
Transferring from school to school, transferring again and again, until all the private schools refused her enrollment.
Finally, Qiao Enshi had no choice but to bring her back to his hometown—now the merged city of Yaoguang City.
Qiao Enshi went to negotiate with the Principal about Qiao Yunxue’s admission, leaving her alone to sit in the Maybach.
She just felt a bit bored.
No matter how well the negotiations went, she would end up transferring again in the end.
Sometimes it was because she felt bored; sometimes it was because other students’ parents reported her; most often it was because the teachers finally couldn’t take it anymore.
Just then, she noticed a funny-looking male student appear outside the car window.
She found him funny because of the look on his face.
The boy was gazing at the sleek paintwork of the Maybach, and the envy on his face was plain to see.
Qiao Yunxue couldn’t help but curl her lips, like she was watching an ant do something ridiculous.
The boy finally walked right up to her window and started tidying up his appearance in the glass.
Did it not even cross his mind that someone might be inside the car?
Qiao Yunxue found it amusing; this boy looked both pitiful and comical, like a little monkey or puppy that had wandered from the forest into the city.
If she threw him a banana, maybe he’d think she was a savior.
On a whim, she deliberately rolled down the car window, curious to see how the little animal would react.
Sure enough, she watched his face flush visibly red, and before she could say anything, the boy fled in a panic.
Such a sensitive and proud person, a little like her—only she wasn’t so pitiful.
She thought, I have money, a lot of money, so I don’t have to grovel before others like this boy does.
To her, people like him were as insignificant as ants—she couldn’t be bothered to be malicious, for they were already pitiful enough.
She couldn’t even be bothered to mock them.
Before long, Father returned to the car and said calmly, “You’ll start classes today. I’ll have the textbooks sent to you this afternoon.”
Qiao Yunxue propped her chin on her hand and looked out the window. “I’ll go tomorrow. I don’t feel like going today.”
Qiao Enshi frowned. “School is to build your discipline and self-awareness, not to waste your time!”
“I don’t need discipline or self-awareness. I have more money than you, remember?” There was not the slightest hint of respect for her father in her words.
Qiao Enshi was a little angry. “None of that money is earned by you—it’s all your mother’s and your ancestors’ inheritance! With your attitude, you’ll squander all the Campbell Family’s fortune in no time!”
“You, of all people, have no right to talk to me about the Campbell Family’s future.” Qiao Yunxue shot back.
“I am your father!” Qiao Enshi roared. “Now, get out of the car, put on your backpack, and go to school. Treat your teachers and classmates with proper respect! This is my hometown, the place where I met your mother for the first time. I hope you can at least show some basic respect to the people and things here—for your mother’s sake!”
A look of anger flashed across Qiao Yunxue’s face.
What she hated most was hearing Father mention Mother; he had no right to bring her up.
“Get out!” Qiao Enshi’s temper was never that good to begin with—any patience he had was only because she was his daughter.
Qiao Yunxue gave a cold laugh but still took her backpack and got out of the car, heading toward the classroom.
Not far away, the Head of Discipline personally led people to welcome her.
They had no idea what a difficult guest was about to arrive.