Chapter 1
Chapter 1: The Abducted Girl Returns
Chapter 1: The Abducted Girl Returns
At the department store compound, a group of people gathered to chat, and one of them brought up the latest hot topic: "It's been over a month with no news of Jiaxin. I guess she's not coming back."
Coincidentally, Xiao Xu's wife, who lived in the compound, had just returned from grocery shopping and joined the conversation. "I heard that Jiaxin ran away to her ancestral home in the ancient capital, but she was abducted by human traffickers on the train," she said.
Xiao Xu's wife was close to Ding Jing, the younger wife of Manager Lu. Coming from her, this statement immediately convinced more than half of the crowd.
Among those present, those with kind hearts secretly felt sorry for the young girl, while those with malicious thoughts or who were simply jealous believed that Lu Jiaxin had brought it upon herself. After all, the girl often ignored the compound's residents, causing Ding Jing to frequently apologize on her behalf. Thus, everyone concluded that Manager Lu's only daughter was spoiled and arrogant.
A garrulous old woman with a black mole at the corner of her mouth spoke up bluntly, "I heard that if an abducted girl is pretty, she'll be sold to a dirty place and ridden by thousands of men."
Lu Jiaxin was acknowledged as the most beautiful girl in the compound, so the implication was clear. The atmosphere suddenly turned quiet as this statement was made, and many people's expressions changed.
At that moment, a crisp voice suddenly interjected, "So, Auntie, are you saying that you personally witnessed the traffickers selling Jiaxin to such a despicable place?"
The old woman with the mole dared not admit it. She was merely gossiping and trying to stir up some entertainment, so she turned her head and backtracked, "When did I ever say it was Jiaxin...?"
But when she saw who was speaking, she swallowed the rest of her words. Stuttering, she said, "Jia... Jiaxin, weren't you abducted by human traffickers?"
Lu Jiaxin's expression remained cold as she said, "It seems that Auntie really did witness my abduction with your own eyes. Why didn't you report it to the police at the time? Or are you related to the traffickers, so you're covering up for them? Should I go to the police station now and report you?"
Upon hearing this, the old woman's face changed, "What nonsense are you spouting, child? I never said you were abducted. I, Auntie, only wish for your well-being."
She had nothing to do with the traffickers.
Lu Jiaxin scoffed, "You wish me well? According to you, I've already been sold to the lowest of places. Auntie, I can't accept your blessings; they're better left for your family. And if you spread such filthy rumors about me again, we'll meet at the police station."
The original body was gentle and timid, always bullied by these gossipy women and too afraid to speak up. But she wasn't the original owner anymore—she wouldn't silently endure such treatment like some bitter seedling.
Everyone present was stunned. After not seeing her for a month, Lu Jiaxin had become so eloquent and sharp-tongued!
At that moment, a kind-looking elderly woman stepped forward and admonished, "Jiaxin, your temper is too proud. How could you be so reckless as to run away from home just because you didn't do well on the college entrance exam? Do you know how worried your parents are about you?"
Lu Jiaxin's face showed disgust when she saw this old woman, Zhao. On the surface, Zhao was concerned about the original owner, but in reality, she was Ding Jing's lackey, spreading rumors behind her back and tarnishing her reputation.
Anyone could put on an act, and Lu Jiaxin was no exception. With reddened eyes, she said, "Aunt Zhao, I didn't run away from home. Although someone sabotaged my exam, causing me to do poorly, I just wanted to take a break in my ancestral home. I never expected to encounter human traffickers on the train.
"Those traffickers knew all about me and even pretended to be relatives to gain my trust. I thought they were really my family, so I got off the train with them in the ancient capital. Fortunately, I realized something was wrong as soon as we left the train station, and I ran for it. But the traffickers chased after me, causing me to tumble down the stairs and hit my head on the wall, knocking me unconscious.
The human traffickers thought I was dead and took my things, leaving me there. In reality, I had only held my breath for a moment."
In truth, it wasn't just holding her breath; the original body had truly perished, and she, a person from the year 2023, had transmigrated into this body and regained consciousness.
The crowd listened to Lu Jiaxin's explanation, whispering among themselves. Some commented on her good fortune and strong luck, while others criticized her for being too headstrong. A small minority, however, began to murmur with suspicion, questioning what she meant by saying that someone had affected her performance during the college entrance exam and how the human traffickers knew her background so well.
Zhao, the elderly woman with malicious intentions, quickly shifted the topic, "How did the human traffickers know your background? Were they people from your hometown who recognized you?"
Lu Jiaxin added fuel to the fire, "Everyone here knows what I looked like five years ago, and even now. Not to mention my great-uncle and aunt, who might not even recognize me at first glance."
Those with sharp minds felt a chill in their hearts. This was truly vicious.
The dark-mole old woman, being rather dull-witted, asked loudly, "You little girl, if you managed to escape from the traffickers, why didn't you immediately call home?"
Sometimes, it's better to leave things ambiguous instead of spelling them out, as it might arouse suspicion.
Lu Jiaxin sighed and replied, "Because I had hit my head and suffered a concussion. There was bleeding in my brain, and I forgot who I was and where I lived."
In reality, she had awoken with all of the original body's memories, and the reason she hadn't returned was to avoid the Lu family. Her personality differed from the original owner, and being older, even with the original owner's memories, she would have been suspected had she returned immediately. Thus, she pretended to have amnesia and stayed in the ancient capital.
After Lu Jiaxin finished explaining, she turned to go upstairs, but unexpectedly, Zhao stopped her again, "Jiaxin, your father went to work, and your mother went out to sell vegetables and hasn't returned yet. You can't go home now, so why don't you stay here and chat for a while?"
Lu Jiaxin immediately stopped and glared at Zhao, "Zhao, don't spread such nonsense. My mother passed away four years ago."
The original owner never referred to that woman as her mother, and she certainly wouldn't either.
Zhao's heart skipped a beat. Something was amiss! In the past, whenever she said something out of concern, this child would be deeply moved, and even if she didn't agree with Zhao's suggestion to get along with Ding Jing, she would simply lower her head and remain silent. She had never retorted like this before.
Zhao felt that something was off about her behavior, but she didn't show it on her face, "Jiaxin, you don't understand. During your disappearance, your aunt Ding has been searching for you day and night. As soon as she heard from your classmates that you might have returned to your hometown, she immediately bought a ticket and went to look for you. Jiaxin, your aunt Ding truly treats you like her own daughter."
Seeing her blatantly lie, Lu Jiaxin felt disgusted by this old woman's hypocritical behavior, pretending to be kind and caring to deceive a young girl. She couldn't believe the old woman had no fear of retribution.
Since heaven wasn't going to punish her, Lu Jiaxin decided to expose the old woman's false pretense.
Lu Jiaxin's eyes immediately turned red, and tears began to well up, "Zhao, why do you always side with that evil woman? Don't I know better than anyone whether she treats me well or not?"
"Let me tell you all the truth. If it weren't for that mother and daughter pair deliberately harming me, I wouldn't have done poorly on the college entrance exam. If I hadn't done poorly, I wouldn't have listened to my classmate's suggestion to return to my hometown. And if I hadn't gone back, I wouldn't have been targeted by human traffickers who knew my background. Thankfully, I escaped from them, otherwise, their scheme would have succeeded."
What a juicy piece of gossip! The older women and young wives present were all captivated, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
(End of Chapter)
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