At this moment, she met a pair of sharp eyes. The owner of those eyes had slightly furrowed brows, appearing somewhat irritable.
Hu Zhi was stunned at first and froze for a few seconds before quickly reacting.
Her own daughter—Sang Ning—had truly come back!
She immediately put on a bright smile and went over to greet her. Although she really wanted to hug Sang Ning, she restrained herself and became cautious in her speech.
"Xiao Ning, oh, you really are something. If you were coming back, why didn't you give us a heads-up? I thought your dad was lying to me! If you'd told us earlier, Mom would have made some delicious food to wait for you."
Hu Zhi deliberately lowered her voice, a complete departure from her usual bold demeanor. She was worried that speaking too loudly might scare her daughter. After all, her daughter had been a wealthy heiress for twenty years and probably wasn't used to dealing with people like them.
Sang Ning was a bit confused. Wasn't Hu Zhi supposed to be terribly biased toward sons over daughters? This behavior didn't seem like it.
Sang Ning didn't respond for a long time. Hu Zhi thought she was angry and nervously rubbed her hands together before asking, "Didn't sleep well, huh? If you still feel tired, go back to sleep. Mom will go make food for you right now and call you when it's ready."
Hu Zhi was brimming with enthusiasm. Sang Ning had yet to adjust to the role of the Sang Family's daughter. Although she couldn't match Hu Zhi's warmth, she replied in a calm tone, "No need—"
She hadn't finished saying, "I need to go out to sign a contract," when Sang Chuan suddenly walked over and kicked the door behind her with force.
"You trash, you think you're so great, huh? Is this the attitude you use to speak to Mom? Do you think you're still that untouchable heiress from the Chu Family?"
"Sang Chuan, do you have a death wish? Is this how you talk to your sister?"
Hu Zhi and Sang Youming simultaneously shouted angrily at Sang Chuan. Daring to treat their precious daughter this way, this son might as well be thrown away.
"Apologize!"
Sang Ning remained calm, her lips curling into a faint smile. She looked at Sang Chuan with a gaze that wasn't entirely a smile nor a glare, concealing turbulent waves beneath her serene expression.
Sang Chuan's bravado immediately diminished. The problem was that Sang Ning looked too terrifying. Though she was smiling, her eyes gave a clear intent—the look of someone ready to cut him down.
But Sang Chuan was naturally defiant. Even his parents' words were met with passive resistance, let alone the sister he had no emotional connection with.
He craned his neck and deliberately provoked her, saying, "Want me to apologize? In your next life!"
Sang Ning continued to smile, her expression making Sang Chuan feel inexplicably uneasy. He couldn't stand this kind of mental torment, so he glared at Sang Ning and said, "Are you sick? The more I insult you, the more you smile? You must be a masochist!"
Hu Zhi and Sang Youming couldn't take it anymore. Together, they were ready to join forces and teach Sang Chuan a lesson, letting him know Sang Ning was not someone he could mess with.
Just as Hu Zhi grabbed Sang Chuan's arm, preparing to drag him over for a beating, Sang Ning held onto Sang Chuan's other arm.
Hu Zhi was a bit puzzled and matched her daughter's gaze. Sang Ning spoke gently, "Mom, it seems my brother has some misunderstandings about me. Could you let me talk to him alone for a bit?"
Hu Zhi's heart soared with joy, her smile grew wide, and she nodded enthusiastically, "Of course, of course!"
Oh my God, she was over the moon! Her precious daughter had called her "Mom!"
Tears welled in her eyes as she covered her face, choking up as she watched Sang Ning drag Sang Chuan into the bedroom.
The door closed, and she was still savoring the touching moment, overwhelmed with emotion.
What luck she had to give birth to such a super stunning beauty with a sweet tongue, her little treasure!
Seconds later, though, the sound of a chicken being slaughtered emanated from the bedroom. Hu Zhi panicked—for all she knew, that brat might have done something to her well-behaved daughter!
Just as she was about to open the door, Sang Youming suddenly appeared, pulling her back and saying, "Honey, don't worry. Xiao Ning seems like she's trained in martial arts and can handle herself."
Don't ask how he knew. A wealthy family like the Chu Family surely raised multitalented children who excel in every aspect. Xiao Ning having some martial arts skills wouldn't be surprising.
Hu Zhi immediately realized the truth, especially upon recognizing the scream was coming from Sang Chuan. She even felt a tinge of relief.
A girl knowing martial arts was a good thing—it made her less susceptible to bullying outside. That rascal Sang Chuan was always out of control; it was great to have a sister who could keep him in check.
Hu Zhi took the bedroom key out of her pocket, thoughtfully locked the door from the outside, and leaned against it with Sang Youming to eavesdrop on the commotion.
Perfect—it was just Sang Chuan being beaten. He wanted to escape but couldn't open the door.
The bedroom's special lock couldn't be opened from the inside once locked from the outside.
A few minutes later, Sang Chuan's voice of surrender came through the door: "Sis, I'm sorry, I was wrong."
Hu Zhi and Sang Youming exchanged a surprised glance.
After all these years, they'd broken countless clothes hangers trying to beat sense into Sang Chuan, yet he had never apologized even once.
How had Xiao Ning managed to tame this stubborn bull in one go?
Hu Zhi was incredibly curious and quickly opened the door, only to see Sang Chuan slumped on the floor like a wet noodle, tears still clinging to the corners of his eyes.
She was utterly shocked that her unruly son had actually cried! The same son who hadn't shed a single tear even after countless broken hangers!
Sang Chuan felt entirely humiliated and immediately shut his eyes, looking like he had given up on life.
Dad, Mom, do you believe me? Sang Ning, that witch, actually knows acupoint techniques!
The kind of pain that's sharp and tingling, both agonizing and itchy, driving him insane—it's something he never wanted to experience again.
Sang Ning ignored Sang Chuan and calmly walked to the door, pausing before saying, "Dad, Mom, I need to head out to sign a contract. No need to make food for me."
Sang Youming and Hu Zhi nodded in sync without hesitation.
Just as Sang Ning left a few steps, she suddenly turned back.
"Dad, Mom, tomorrow I'll be filming for a variety show that needs family participation. Would you be willing to join me and help me out?"
Hu Zhi and Sang Youming instinctively began shaking their heads—they weren't celebrities.
But it was the first time their daughter had asked them for something since coming back. Could they refuse? Of course not!
So their heads, which had already tilted to one side, abruptly straightened, nodding firmly instead: "No problem, your business is our business!"
The two voices synchronized perfectly, and Sang Ning let out a small sigh of relief, flashing them a faint smile, "Thank you."
Hu Zhi and Sang Youming felt their hearts melting. Their daughter smiled at them—and what a beautiful smile!
They had worried she might despise them, but her smile brought an invisible sense of closeness.
Hu Zhi felt her inner burdens vanish in an instant, her tone becoming noticeably lighter: "Oh, I thought it was something big. Xiao Ning, don't worry. We'll do our best on the show and won't embarrass you."
Sang Ning wasn't sure if it was a butterfly effect from her transmigration, but the Sang Family parents seemed surprisingly adorable—not the unreasonable and overbearing people described in the original story.